


To Build a Trine

by gatekat, Verilidaine



Series: The Making and Breaking of a Trine [1]
Category: Transformers Generation One
Genre: Alternate History, M/M, Minor Character Death, Spark Sex, Sticky Sex, Torture, Trine Dynamics
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-09
Updated: 2014-04-07
Packaged: 2018-01-11 17:20:31
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 13
Words: 100,922
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1175766
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gatekat/pseuds/gatekat, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Verilidaine/pseuds/Verilidaine
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A look at how the very non-traditional trine of Thundercracker, Starscream and Skywarp happened. Set both before the war and early on, it covers from when Thundercracker and Skywarp meet, through the destruction of Vos and up to when Starscream became Air Commander.</p><p>Also an in-depth look at trine dynamics and our head-canon for it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Select a Stabilizing Influence

Thundercracker's spirits were soaring as he came back to the district headquarters after his final patrol. Today he was being promoted, and had seen the last of the dull patrol assignments.

_Staff Sergeant._

It was a meaningful position, too, and one that he knew he had fully earned. Eager to hear the news that had already unofficially gone around the entire district, he made his way straight to his Captain's office and announced himself with a professional chirp.

"Ah, Thundercracker!" Jetsky said. "Just the flier I wanted to see. Come in, sit down, I have an exciting new assignment for you."

"Yes, Sir." Thundercracker couldn't contain the quiver of excited anticipation as he stepped inside and sat politely across from the Seeker who had done so much to coach him in his career and as a mecha. The sky blue and purple Seeker with bright golden optics was as much a creator to him as the trine that had brought him into the world as far as Thundercracker was concerned.

"Well, to start with, congratulations on the promotion I'm sure you already know about," Jetsky said warmly. "I look forward to seeing just how far you'll go with us. Now, as for your assignment. I trust you heard about that terrorist they caught in Tarn last decaorn?"

"I believe I heard him referred to as the Sinkhole Demon. It took something like thirty officers to bring him down," Thundercracker kept the curiosity from twitching his wings too much. "I have not read the report yet."

"Well, you're going to," Jetsky said, and slid a datapad over. "He was set to go on trial for execution, but fortunately we caught on in time to send someone over there. We've promised Tarn that he won't create trouble with them again, along with gifting some material good will, in exchange for releasing him to us. We believe his particular skillset could come in very useful, if he can be broken properly. With all these rumors going around, the more trained and specialized fliers we have, the better."

"Fliers...." Thundercracker murmured as he picked up the datapad and quickly scanned it for the most important points. "Just a flier, a Seeker. A Seeker that teleports," he said as he continued to read, eventually confirming his assumption that the mecha was a mech-framed Seeker. Combat grade frame too, though not yet with weapon mounts. He was the same frame as the majority of citizens, including Thundercracker himself. Rather attractive too, once one looked past the arrogant smirk and damage from being captured. "How does this pertain to me, Sir?"

"Well, _that_ is the exciting part," Jetsky said, beaming like he was about to give Thundercracker the greatest news of his life. "He needs someone strong, firm, solid ... you know, a _grounding_ sort of influence to keep him calm. And I have personally recommended _you_ to the position!"

For his part, Thundercracker was proud that he _didn't_ vocalize the squeak of protest that did make it to his wings. "With all due respect, Sir, I do not yet have a trine, nor have I raised any creations. Surely a mecha who is experienced with youth would be better suited." Never mind that Thundercracker was reasonably sure he wasn't that much older than the black Seeker in the picture. Okay, so this Skywarp was technically a mechling and Thundercracker was two centuries into his adult frame, but that didn't make _that_ much difference when they were both so young.

"Precisely why I think you would be perfect for this job," Jetsky said. "You're closer to his age, you'll _understand_ him and what he's going through! I'm sure you'll find something in common with him. And he is far more likely to show you respect than an older Enforcer. You're close to being his peer."

Thundercracker's wings gave a twitch at how insulting that statement was, but he didn't say it out loud. "Yes Sir," he responded instead. "How does one stop him from teleporting?"

"We've discovered that he teleports with whatever he is attached to," Jetsky said. "If the object is too large, he can't bring it with him. So chaining him down to a building stops him from teleporting, and we've taken the additional measures of freezing his global funds and implanting a tracker in him. You will be responsible for his primary rehabilitation and training, though I expect it will be a slow process."

Thundercracker mulled that over as he finished the report and found it distressingly light on some subjects that should have been front and center in it. "Sir, what happened to his creators? There is no mention of his creation trine or his flock here."

"We don't know," Jetsky said with genuine sadness. "The working assumption in these cases, as he is clearly a Seeker, is that he separated while in another city. Possibly unwanted, defective or the result of abuse, though even the nice versions where he was orphaned and raised by strangers isn't very pleasant. Tarn doesn't know him, and we have no records of him. Getting him to tell you will be part of your duties. As of when we took charge of him, he is a citizen of Vos, regardless of how he came to be. He also seems to be an older mechling, so he'll likely be ready for adult upgrades soon."

Thundercracker's wings dipped in sadness at the possibilities presented for Skywarp's history. It was just so wrong. No Seeker should be raised without the network of trines that made up a flock to take care of them. Even those trines that kindled unusually young or were the rare three-way mates and thus did not have a network of lovers and mates and those trines could rely on their creator's trines and networks for support.

To be raised alone ... Thundercracker shivered slightly at the concept of it.

Jetsky waited a klik for Thundercracker to come to terms with that before continuing. "When he is in your care, you must stay attached to him at all times. If he teleports and brings you with him, simply grab onto the nearest large structure and alert us to your position. At the end of your shifts, until you are otherwise comfortable, he'll return to his cell. If he is contrary enough, you are authorized to imprison him in an underground cell. Hopefully that will be enough of a deterrent."

Thundercracker's wings shuddered at the impact of that authorization up front and what it implied of his new charge. For that was what Skywarp was. He wasn't Thundercracker's prisoner, he was Thundercracker's _charge_ , a mech that Thundercracker was obligated to care for, tend to and raise to be a productive member of society.

In the back of his processors, he wasn't completely ignorant that if Skywarp wasn't an Order, they'd likely end up trined after so much intensive interaction.

"Sir, at what point will he be sent home with me instead of to the cell?"

Jetsky looked surprised at the question. "Well, if you do manage to get that far with him, I'll leave it up to you to decide. The end game for this mech isn't full civilian rehabilitation, Thundercracker." Jetsky leveled his gaze at the young adult. "It's to get him to a point where he can be safely handled and trusted to follow orders. We're trying the gentle way first, and if necessary, we'll hand him over to Special Ops and they'll do it their way."

"Oh." Thundercracker swallowed as his entire plan and what was expected of him was turned inside out and pointed in a direction that made his tanks churn. "No one is expecting him to live long enough to need a trine." His wings quivered with how much that thought hurt and his optics dropped. It went against everything he believed in to do that to another. He even believed that Seeker-kin were worthy of better than that. But he had his orders and he would do his best to follow them. Only he would also do his best to give his charge a chance at _life_ too. "I will do my best."

"That's what I want to hear," Jetsky said with a warm smile. "And don't worry too much about this one. Just do your best and be careful--the reports from Tarn were unpleasant. They're all linked in there." He gestured to the datapad. "Now, here's the key to his tracker and the code for his shackles. And congratulations on your promotion, Staff Sergeant."

"Thank you, Sir," Thundercracker responded smoothly, his professional manner firmly back in place as he stood. "With your permission, I will retrieve my assignment now."

"You are a credit to your rank," Jetsky said, canting his wings in approval.

With that Thundercracker left the office and flew to the high-security cellblock. It was only half a dozen cells, each intended to be customized to counter or contain whatever special abilities, unremovable weapons or flying nightmares came into Vos before they were executed, reformatted or sent to Cybertron's Detention Center for internment without a frame. As he expected, only one cell was occupied and there were two mecha with Special Operations markings standing guard.

"Designation," one of them said, scanning him up and down. 

"Air Martial Staff Sergeant Thundercracker," he answered, and after a few moments, got a chirp of approval from both of them as his visual and vocal identity was confirmed. 

"Here for the little terror?" the second one asked, not trying to hide his amusement at the indignant protest it earned from inside the cell. 

"I am _not_ a little terror!" the prisoner said as Thundercracker came into view. He grinned immediately. "Well, I'm not little, anyway. Hiya."

"I understand you prefer to be called Skywarp," Thundercracker regarded the black Seeker with purple trim and wings that looked like galaxies. 

"I would _hope_ so since that's my designation," the youth said, and flopped on his chest. Thundercracker could see where the wing shackles that had been _welded_ in place were chained into the floor by a heavy length. "Else I'd think you have some serious problems with your record keeping." He sat back up suddenly. "Wait, who're you?"

"Air Martial Staff Sergeant Thundercracker," he introduced himself again. "You are my charge until you can convince me that you can be trusted to fly on your own and not cause trouble."

"See, I _told_ you mechs you sucked slag," Skywarp said, waving his hand at his guards. "They went and had you replaced! By an Air Martial! That's probably humiliating. So what now, you get me outta here or what?"

"For now," Thundercracker said as the shield deactivated to allow him inside. "When my shift is over, you will be put back in this cell, under their guard, until I believe I can trust you enough to not be locked up at night." He studied the setup for a brief moment, then took the padded shackle attached to a lighter length of chain from its hook on the shackles and unlooped the lighter chain. He attached it to his own wrist, checked it and the chain, then unhooked Skywarp from the floor.

The next thing he felt was probably the strangest sensation of his life as the air around him seemed to compress his entire frame and there was a _roar_ of wind and when it stopped, he was high in the air above Vos. 

"Oh, for _slag's_ sake!" Skywarp shouted, as he seemed to realize at the same time as Thundercracker realized where he was that he had a passenger. A barrage of curses followed after that, all of them aimed right at him as Skywarp engaged his thrusters and shot up, trying to get out of the shackle.

It only took the older, more experienced and fully upgraded Thundercracker a moment to collect himself, engage his thrusters and climb-fly his way to Skywarp's back.

::Not the smartest move, mechling,:: Thundercracker transmitted on the single frequency that Skywarp's comms were permitted to operate on. With that he reached inside and activated his own gift.

Sonic vibrations roared outwards, focusing down and into the young mech under him far more strongly than Thundercracker's namesake. With the vibrations came the instinctive terror that to date, no being had managed to overcome. It normally drove other Seekers to the ground, to flatten and hide.

This one, instead, pulled him through the air in half a dozen other rapid jumps that finally ended with them on the ground, the youth shaking badly and staring at him. " _What--the--slag?_ "

"My designation is _Thundercracker_ ," he growled at the panting youth pinned under him, highlighting the points that marked his gift. "When you teleport, you take anything you are attached to with you. The building holds you because it is too large for you to teleport. Understood? You cannot leave me behind. If you make me give up on you, you go to the SpecOps center and they'll _fix_ you."

A flicker of what looked like genuine fear passed over Skywarp's face before it was gone again and he cocked his head. " _That's_ your spark gift?" he asked, like he hadn't heard any of the rest of it. "A big boom?"

"A big boom that knocks fliers from the sky," Thundercracker stood and hauled Skywarp to his pedes. "Now, are you going to teleport us back to the cell or am I going to haul you back to the city on your wings?"

Skywarp glared at him, and then jumped, high up into the sky. "Can't drag me from here," he said.

Thundercracker engaged his thrusters and came even with the arrogant youth. The cannon on his right arm powered up and without a word he shot out Skywarp's thrusters. 

" _Hey!_ " Skywarp protested and gave a sharp screech as he was suddenly forced to hold onto Thundercracker to keep from falling.

"Do not temp me to take your wings," Thundercracker growled in frustration at the dangling mech.

"You wouldn't," Skywarp said, staring at him.

Without a word Thundercracker reached out to grab a wing and put just enough twisting pressure to warn the owner that not only was he serious, he was capable.

Skywarp yelped. "All right, all right!" he said. "Pit you're about as much fun as getting spiked by a metrotitan. C'mon. Sorry. Don't make me go back there yet."

"Then teleport us back to the cell so we can begin this correctly," Thundercracker said firmly.

"Why don't we just skip that part and you show me whatever you were gonna do in the first place?" Skywarp wheedled.

Thundercracker's engines grumbled. "Because whenever you mess up, I will make you go back to the beginning and try again until you get it right."

"You suck _slag_ ," Skywarp said, and Thundercracker found himself pulled through the air in the jumps he was definitely learning to dislike until they were back in the cell, where three Special Ops agents were waiting, blasters pointed inward.

"It will suck less when you stop being a brat," Thundercracker countered, then looked at the weapons pointed at him. "No need for that. Though the medic should see to his thrusters and left wing when I return him tonight."

Skywarp huffed as the weapons were lowered. "At least you're good for something," he said, and looked back to Thundercracker. "All right, so, get on with whatever."

"Do you understand what will get you released from my charge?" Thundercracker settled into a relatively relaxed manner.

"Being either very good," Skywarp said, pointing one way, and then the other, "Or very bad."

"Close enough for now," Thundercracker decided. "Come," he turned, showing his back to Skywarp in a blatant display of not considering the mech dangerous. And walked out of the cell.

Skywarp was forced to follow or be dragged behind and he kept up as well as he could with the thrusters damaged, although Thundercracker had shot them out in such a manner that it didn't seriously impair his ability to walk. He caught up quickly and practically skipped along next to the older Seeker. "That means I can be _kind_ of bad, though," he said, and sounded pleased with himself.

"If you turn out to be a masochist and enjoy the pain that results from being bad, I will become _creative_ in how to punish you," Thundercracker warned. "Though why you would want to remain my charge for one nanoklik longer that required is beyond me."

"Oh, mech, you really aren't all _that_ bad on the optics," Skywarp said with a sympathetic coo. "Give yourself a little credit, your colors barely clash! You're _way_ better than those dull old drones."

Thundercracker gave him an odd look. "I have never heard of a Seeker who would choose servitude over freedom."

The look was mirrored back. "You think _you're_ free?"

"Free enough to go to my own home off shift, gather with friends of my choosing and leave my job if I become dissatisfied enough with it. I am free to fly where I will and pick trinemates that I like. You have none of those freedoms until you earn them back."

"Don't hafta take orders," Skywarp said, shrugging his wings. "Not from you or the government or anyone."

"You do if you wish to ever fly unchained again," Thundercracker pointed out as they left the prison and got into the Air Martial transport that was waiting.

"Yeah but it's _my_ choice," Skywarp said, and grinned. "See?"

"If that is what you must tell yourself," Thundercracker shrugged slightly. "I have never considered a choice between compliance and reformatting to be a choice."

"Well you're just too boring," Skywarp said, and flopped down, head tilted back as he twitched with impatience. It only took about half a klik for the impatience to build up high enough to break the brief silence. "Ugh these things move so _slow_. C'mon just tell me where we're going, it'll take no time."

"If you teleport us there we will start over in the prison cell," Thundercracker warned him. "I have an office in Air Martial District Three Headquarters. How did you end up in Tarn?"

"How did you end up so hot?" Skywarp asked with a leer.

"Unintentionally," Thundercracker shrugged. "Are any of your creators still functional?"

"They were the last time I talked to them," Skywarp said, shrugging.

"What are their designations?" Thundercracker pressed.

"Pit you're nosy aren't you," Skywarp said. "Not that I _mind_ nosy but I'd rather it be more, y'know, _interesting_."

"Then what do you want to talk about?" Thundercracker offered.

Skywarp shrugged and looked out the window. "Not gonna help you do your job."

Thundercracker relaxed in his seat and fell agreeably silent for the rest of the ride to the district HQ and got out. Everywhere Skywarp looked there were mecha with Air Martial markings and mecha in cuffs being led here and there.

"Mmm ... how about no," he said, and gave Thundercracker an imploring grin. "This looks boring as slag."

"Then you had better learn to find me more interesting to talk to than you have so far," Thundercracker shrugged his lack of care on the subject and walked into the building, trilling and wing-flicking various casual greetings to many of those around. "It is where I work, thus it is where you will be when you are with me and out of that prison cell."

" _Slag,_ " Skywarp groaned, and Thundercracker didn't have any warning at all before he felt the pull through the air and found himself standing on the roof. "There, that's better," the purple and black Seeker said, grinning and looking around. One quick motion landed him on his back, the chain taunt to the ground as Thundercracker stepped on it.

"Is it?" the blue mech looked down at him. "As I understand it, being dragged on your wings sucks far more than boredom."

Skywarp hissed at him and jumped again, this time landing them in midair above the city. Skywarp ended up dangling from the short chain, his weight creating a split-second of free fall.

Thundercracker used his thrusters to take them to ground level, where _everyone_ was watching, only to drop a very started Skywarp the last half length to land with one pede on his back, just above the wing shackles and pressed down enough to hurt.

"Now, are you going to behave or do I need to take a wing off?" Thundercracker rumbled.

In answer, Skywarp began a series of rapid jumps that took them all over the city, each on jarring Thundercracker just enough that he couldn't ever get a good grip on the mechling, until it suddenly stopped--more jumps later than he'd been able to keep track of--and Skywarp looked like he was flickering in and out of visibility. 

"Oh," he said, and they realized simultaneously what the problem was. 

He was out of fuel, and they were at least ten hics outside the city, from what Thundercracker could estimate. 

" _Slag._ "

"Well, now I know what to keep your fuel level at to keep you in one place," Thundercracker said with evident pleasure as his charge hung, helpless, on the far end of the chain linking them together. "That went faster than I expected."

"I was already way low," Skywarp grumbled, and sighed in resignation as he looked at Thundercracker. "Well now I've got you alone, maybe that was my plan all along," he purred.

"You will have me alone in my office," Thundercracker shrugged as he flew towards Vos, his comm system very active as he explained the situation and insisted that everyone could calm down. "Though from what I've gathered planning is not your strong suit."

"Maybe I'm just a mastermind and my plan is you make you _think_ that planning isn't my strong suit," Skywarp said, fidgeting.

"It's doing so well," sarcasm rippled through Thundercracker's harmonics. "You can't fly or teleport now and we'll still be in my office for much of the orn."

"Which is exactly what I want you to _think_ that I want!" Skywarp said triumphantly, a huge grin in his voice.

Thundercracker shrugged and proceeded to ignore him as he flew to Vos.

"You're not even _listening_ to me," Skywarp complained as he resigned himself to being flown wherever Thundercracker wanted to take him.

* * *

Thundercracker accepted the door ping and looked up to see Ciel step inside, wings canted hopefully. "Got a klik?" the other Air Martial asked, glancing at Skywarp, who stared back at him from where he was chained to Thundercracker, perched on the desk.

"Of course, Detective Ciel," Thundercracker said by way of introduction and flicked his wings in welcome. "What brings you here?"

"You remember that serial theft string we had, last metacycle?" Ciel said as he came forward and pulled three reports out, passing them over. Skywarp swiped one of them to look at. "I think we've got the same mech again."

Thundercracker calmly took the report from Skywarp and skimmed all three as he spoke. "I was the first on the scene for the second and fifth ones. I admit, the method is similar, but the thefts stopped."

"Maybe he got bored," Skywarp said, trying to get the report back with little success.

Ciel ignored him. "If it isn't the same mech, I'm betting it's someone he's had contact with. The last haul before he went under was pretty big, could he be doing it for a living?"

"It wouldn't be the first time," Thundercracker pulled up a 3D holomap of Vos and mapped out the known hits as well as those by unknown culprits that fit a similar style. Each dot could be expanded for details and were color coded for order. The darker it was, the more recent it was. "If he is, then we should expect the next attack in seven or eight orns given the haul on this one."

Ciel hummed as he looked over the map. "But if he's selling it hasn't come up anywhere, not that we've found, at least." 

"Maybe it's serial forgetful store owners," Skywarp said, and stuck his hand into the holomap and found to his annoyance that it didn't react to him as it did to the other two. "Did you try asking them were they last saw it?"

"The energon and parts he might be using for himself or his extended trine," Thundercracker hummed. "These are all common items so far, things that are easy to trade mech to mech without being visible to us."

"No I think I'm onto something here," Skywarp said, and tried to swipe a datapad again, only to have Thundercracker calmly pull it out of reach. "Mechs, really. I feel it in my _wings_. You should bring me in on this."

Thundercracker gave him a measured looked, then tapped the corner of the holoscreen. "All right."

Skywarp gave him a startled look, then tried an experimental spin of the map and grinned as it responded. "All right, so here's my thought. It's a _conspiracy._ " When the two Air Martials just looked at him, he kept spinning the map. "Store owners are just losing their stuff and so they call you mechs up and report a theft and they all _look_ like the same mech because they're _not_ , see?"

Thundercracker gave the map's corner another tap and it stopped responding to Skywarp, then oriented the map correctly once more as he focused on Ciel.

"Is he always like this?" the Detective asked.

"He's actually behaving reasonably well," Thundercracker chuckled. "I keep his energon level below the level needed to teleport and he causes so much less trouble. He still hasn't decided that talking about reality is to his benefit, but he's learning, if slowly."

"He beats me," Skywarp said, canting his wings down pitifully at Ciel. " _Really_ bad. And he pays the medics off so they won't report it."

"The timestamp to check?" Ciel asked calmly.

"...What?" Skywarp asked, looking startled that Ciel had engaged.

"When and where did it happen?" Ciel asked patiently. "So I can check."

"Surely you realize that you are under constant surveillance, thus anything that happens is recorded," Thundercracker pointed out evenly. "If your claim is valid, there will be multiple logs of it."

"Not if you _erase_ them," Skywarp said, and held his arm out, pointing to a scuff. "See, right here. Proof. Cold, hard proof. I can't stand being chained to him for another klik, he's mean!"

"Mechling, you don't know the definition of mean, or what a beating is if you call that proof," Ciel said coldly, his wings flicking his a disgusted dismissal before he looked at Thundercracker. "How do you put up with such an unsocialized, uneducated, ungrateful flit?"

"Orders," Thundercracker shrugged. "He's not impossible, just very low on processor power."

"Your _trine_ is low on processor power," Skywarp said, and made an obscene gesture at him, only to find himself completely ignored as the other two returned to discussing the thefts.

"Thank you for the input," Ciel said after a while as he tucked everything away again and Thundercracker powered down the map. "How do you find your charge's progress?" he asked mildly, like Skywarp wasn't even there.

"Promising, given what I was first led to believe, though still far below his age," Thundercracker said. "He's still quite a mess. It will take time to correct the errors he's suffering."

"He thinks having fun means an error," Skywarp whispered loudly to Ciel, laying down on the desk and grinning at Thundercracker. "Don'cha." He looked back to Ciel. "If you ever wanna see a _really_ good time gimmie some energon and I can show you what an overload at free fall feels like."

"It always does" Ciel sighed. "Orphans are never quite normal, unfortunately. Their concept pf society rarely integrates until they are fully trined, if they manage to. Most I've met don't make it."

"Please, fliers everywhere just _waitin'_ for some of this," Skywarp said, though it did little to hide how annoyed he was at being ignored. He stretched his arm out and lay his head down, trilling at Thundercracker. "Know _you_ are."

"Unfortunately," Thundercracker agreed. "Those that do are generally those with some kind of kin willing to take them in. By the time one gets to us, it's usually a lost cause, but I am obligated to try. I dislike the idea of handing anyone over to Special Operations."

Ciel looked surprised. "He isn't _that_ bad off, is he? What could..." And then he seemed to answer his own question. "Ah ... the jumping," he mused. "Useful. How long do you have before that happens?"

"I don't know," Thundercracker admitted. "The Captain implied that it was up to me and I could take as long as I believed I could help him, but that seems unlikely in the long run. At some point either circumstances or cost will force the choice. If he's not ready to be released by then, he'll be reprogrammed."

" _Please_ like anyone just gets _released_ ," Skywarp said, and groaned. "Seriously you have to get me a new handler or something, I'm _so bored_." That counts as abuse, doesn't it?"

"Well, good luck," Ciel said, then gave Skywarp a hard look. "For your own sake, mechling, I'd really start thinking about shaping up." 

Skywarp made the same obscene gesture at him without even lifting his helm, wings canted aggressively. 

Ciel rolled his optics and looked back to Thundercracker. "Let me know if you ever need a break," he offered.

"Thank you. I will," Thundercracker twitched his wings in genuine gratitude. After the door closed he focused on Skywarp. "So if no one ever gets released, should I turn you over to Special Operations now?"

"No," Skywarp muttered sullenly, and turned his head to look at the opposite wall, though he made no move to give Thundercracker any part of his desk back and Thundercracker didn't care. The blue mech simply picked up his bookfile and began reading again.

After about five kliks, Skywarp started chirping and clicking to himself, drumming his fingers on the desk. His wings eventually started to twitch along with the rhythm and eventually Thundercracker was able to make out an out of tune, off-rhythm song. If it could even be called that. 

Another five kliks after that and Skywarp heaved a giant sigh. "I am so _bored!_ " he whined. "How do you just _read_ for so long?"

"I enjoy reading and learning," Thundercracker answered easily. "It stimulates the processors. Have you had any formal education?"

"Umm ... yes," Skywarp said.

"What kind of stories do you like?" Thundercracker asked.

Skywarp looked at him with a confused cant. "Like sparkling stories? I am _way_ too old for sparkling stories."

"There is far more available than sparkling stories," Thundercracker chuckled. "This one," he moved the datapad he was reading, "is about a hunter-detective. There are stories about romance, adventure, nobles, history, fantasy, erotica, porn, horror, anything you can imagine has thousands if not millions of stories written about it."

"Well yeah, duh, I knew that," Skywarp said, and put his head back down, visibly sulking. "I like adventure, I guess. And fantasy."

"Do you want to read something in those genres?" Thundercracker offered.

"Sure," Skywarp said slowly, wings perking a bit. "Adventure?"

"All right," Thundercracker said, and pulled a datapad from the subspace storage beneath the desk and brought up a short story on it. "This was one of my favorites when I was a mechling," he said, and handed it over. 

Skywarp took it a bit too eagerly and looked at it, then drooped. "It's in Vosian," he said.

Thundercracker cocked his helm, his wings flicking in distress. "Of course it is Vosian. We are Seekers and this is Vos."

"Yeah well it's useless," Skywarp said and threw it on the floor. "Can't read it."

With a hum and a disturbed quiver of his wings Thundercracker stood and retrieved the datapad. "What languages can you read?"

"Imperial Standard, like everyone," Skywarp said and shrugged his wings. "Not _everyone_ has to read _Vosian._ " 

"Then why don't we play a game while I find it in that?" Thundercracker offered.

Skywarp's optics narrowed suspiciously. "What kind of game?"

"A fair trade game," the blue Seeker grinned at him. "Truth or dare."

"So I can dare you to do _anything?_ " Skywarp asked.

"Anything _legal_ and non-damaging," Thundercracker rolled his optics. "Though first you'll have to find something I don't want to admit the truth of."

Skywarp hummed. "That's a stupid rule," he said. "Who're you fragging?"

"Farcry and Longwing," Thundercracker answered smoothly. "How old are you?"

"Three hundred and ten," Skywarp said, noting but ignoring how startled Thundercracker's wingsweep was. "What's the worst thing you've _ever_ done?"

The blue Seeker twitched with a sick-to-his tanks flicker of his wings. "I killed a mech." A seeker, a _citizen_. "Who created you?" he asked after taking a moment to set himself mentally to rights.

"Sirrus, Res, and Sunchaser," Skywarp said carefully. "Who'd you kill?"

"You're lying. Their _real_ designations," Thundercracker locked optics on him. "I can read designations, mechling. That might get by a commoner, but not anyone educated."

Skywarp hissed at him, wings lifting up. "Frag you, that's what they called themselves!"

"Those are not, however, their _designations_ ," Thundercracker stressed the legal, formal intent of the glyph. "You no doubt have kin in Vos. If they can be found and accept you, then you would not have to deal with me or the chains anymore."

"I don't want _Vosian_ kin," Skywarp said and buried his head in his arms. "I don't like this game."

Thundercracker regarded him for a moment, then let it go. He knew when not to push. "His designation was Sunsong," he said quietly, answering the earlier question. "What is the worst thing you've ever done?"

"Probably when I blew up the central palaces in Tarn," Skywarp said, his wings flicking almost dismissively.

Thundercracker cocked his helm at the adult in a mechling's frame and hummed. "Well that does explain why Tarn was so eager to execute you despite your obvious tactical value. Makes me wonder just what Vos traded to get you."

"Scrap me if I know," Skywarp said, and turned his head slightly so that one red optic was visible. "Why'd you kill him?"

"He was holding a hostage and refused to negotiate. I shot him in the back, right through his spark case." Thundercracker got it out, his wings betraying that he still wasn't sure if he'd made the right call. "If you hadn't been caught, what did you want to do in the next hundred vorns?"

Skywarp shrugged. "Dunno. Never thought that far ahead. Just kind of, got energon and found stuff to scrap, y'know?" He grinned. "Pretty funny seeing the looks on faces when I jumped into locked rooms. D'you have a, um, trine, thing?"

"Trine," Thundercracker gave a minor, though important correction. "What you said indicated a trine with a three-way sparkbond. _Trine_ ," he repeated carefully, "is the generic glyph that applies to all trines. No, not yet. Farcry may become my Vision, though neither of us are sure yet. I have yet to encounter an Action I was fond enough of to trine with yet."

"Trine," Skywarp said, repeating with just as much care for the pronunciation and subglyphs as Thundercracker had put in, getting it correct that time. "How come there need to be the same parts in each one? Oh--wait, sorry, your turn."

"It's okay. Cultural things I'll explain freely if you ask. Only personal questions count towards the game," Thundercracker said easily, more than willing to give the poor mech that much, especially now that he was actually being halfway reasonable. "It's an act of balance and function. While it has much less application in modern times, when the trine came about it was to ensure that the carrier, who would also be the one who cared for the sparkling stage creations the most, would have protection and supplies while vulnerable and unable or unwilling to fly away quickly from threats. Thus the Vision, who is always the carrier, is the one most likely to enjoy remaining close to home and being intellectual. To protect the vulnerable Vision and sparklings, they trined with an Order, who acted as a mid-range guardian and hunter and leader, and an Action, who ranged the furthest to protect and hunt. Today the Vision is still most often the one who stays home, but they are also very often scientists. The Order is more likely to be political, but are also often quickly promoted into management or other leadership roles. Actions are still the ones that range the furthest and are at home the least in most trines."

Skywarp mulled that over for a few kliks, tapping at the desk as he did. "What're you?" he asked.

"An Order," Thundercracker answered smoothly. "You will work out what you are after your adult upgrades. It is generally something that is very clear to the Seeker, and once you work it out, you will broadcast that and your availability to trine status until you have a trine. Then it turns off."

"I'm gonna _broadcast_ something?" Skywarp asked, sounding horrified. "What, like, a beep or something?"

"It isn't audible; it's simply part of the ID signal all mecha transmit socially. I'm sure you picked up something from your creators when they were around, a sense of who it was, even if you couldn't see or teek them."

"Sure, what they felt like," Skywarp said before he touched his chest over his chamber. "But that was in my spark, not some kind of signal. They were just there."

Thundercracker raised an optic ridge, then his wings flattened in a traditional respect for the departed. "I am sorry they were lost so soon."

Skywarp tensed, shock making his wings go straight up, completely rigid. "I didn't _say_ they were lost."

"No, but no creators would abandon a creation before the bond faded naturally. Not when the bond with you was so strong," Thundercracker said gently. "It takes desire, want, _love_ to form that bond with any strength. Sire bonds such as you described are even less common. I can't believe they abandoned you before the bond faded naturally and you knew what I was talking about."

Skywarp hissed, but it wasn't really aggressive or even directed at Thundercracker. His wings lowered back down. "Yeah, well, fine. You're right. Happy?"

"No," Thundercracker said gently. "I wouldn't wish that on anyone. But why don't you want to be with your kin?"

"I don't _have_ kin," Skywarp said. "I've got me."

"How do you know that?" Thundercracker asked patiently.

Skywarp gave an exasperated huff. "My creators were my kin and that was it," he said, looking at Thundercracker like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "So I guess _maybe_ they could have had creators or clutch-mates or something here but they didn't want to be with them so why would I want to be with them?"

The blue Seeker signed sadly. "Just remember you have kin in the city if you change your mind. Being alone is a terrible thing for a sane Seeker."

"Managed it fine," Skywarp said, shrugging. "Still got your creators?"

"Yes," Thundercracker didn't hind the warmth he felt for them. "Their trine is intact, as are the trines of their lovers and my creator-Action's mate. A dozen siblings still function as well. I enjoy going home at night to the flock." He paused. "Do you want your adult upgrades sooner or later?"

Skywarp didn't answer for a while, pedes twitching as he thought. "Whenever," he finally said. "What's ... what's it like, having a flock?"

"Safety, security, support, warmth," Thundercracker didn't hide the happy flutter of his wings as he thought about the kin and their lovers and the lovers' trines he continued to recharge with most nights. "They're mecha to turn to when I need help, comfort and just to socialize. I have a place in every flock my siblings are part of as well, though it is secondary to full members. It's ... good."

"Sounds nice," Skywarp said. "I miss recharging with my creators ... felt the same, warm and safe, y'know? Does everyone do that?" he asked, forgetting to give Thundercracker a question, though the adult Seeker didn't say anything about it.

"Everyone I know of. It's normal. Even criminals have their trines and flocks. It's part of what it means to be _Seeker_ ," Thundercracker explained. "Short of hosts, we are by far the most socially linked of any Cybertronian type."

"And exclusive," Skywarp muttered, almost to himself.

"Why would any of us want to leave?" Thundercracker shrugged. "We care for each other, protect each other, support each other."

"Yeah but not everyone," Skywarp said. "It's your turn, anyway."

Thundercracker nodded, accepting the change of subject. "Have you interfaced?"

"Of course," Skywarp scoffed. "What kind of stupid question is that?"

"The kind that leads up to 'what method did you enjoy most?'" Thundercracker's wings flicked in amusement.

"Oh," Skywarp said. "Umm, all of it, I think. Yeah. All of it. What's your favorite?"

"Alt mode, high atmosphere, as the spiker," he rumbled in remembered pleasure. "Though I agree that it's all good. Second favorite has to be with two others, one of them between us," his wings shivered faintly with arousal. "Even if it's only for fun since we're not serious about trining, it's very good. Ever played with toys?"

"Um," Skywarp said, and he was sort of just staring at Thundercracker. "Wait. Alt mode in the sky?" he finally managed.

"Yes," Thundercracker easily let his question slide. "Both spike/valve and sparks can be done in alt mode while flying. It's _intense_ like nothing else. My carrier's Order called it transcendental, though I didn't find it to be quite that intense."

"Wow," Skywarp said. "Hafta try that sometime." He hummed and tapped his fingers. "But right. Toys. Nah, gotta have credits to get toys."

"Given the quality of your upgrades, your creator-trine definitely had some, or were owed some serious favors," Thundercracker told him. "Particularly given you were not upgraded in Vos where Seeker frames are common."

"Sure, but they didn't buy toys with it," Skywarp said. "And I didn't know how to get into their accounts after. How many Seekers are in a flock?"

"A small one will be six plus untrined creations, the larger ones are twenty-four to twenty-eight plus untrined creations," Thundercracker answered. "Most are in between. A handful are larger than thirty plus untrined creations. A flock is your or your creators' trine, plus the trines of their lovers and mates, and any trines those trines are mated with. It is vary rare to expand further than that, but it can happen. It is not uncommon, though hardly standard, for creations to remain with their creator's flock after they trine until they begin to build their own flock beyond their trine, if they do."

Skywarp mused about that for half a klik, then lifted his wings up in a rapid shift of mood. "What's your favorite toy? I need some ideas for when I figure out how to get away."

Thundercracker hummed thoughtfully, then tapped the controls for his desk and a holo-display sprang up that Skywarp was laying half on top of. "If you want to see, you'll need to move out of the display zone," he said absently as he accessed and modified the control access.

"Maybe you should convince me to move," Skywarp purred back.

"Your choice. Move and see a bunch of toys, or lay there and don't," Thundercracker shrugged.

Skywarp glared at him. "They picked you to torture me, I know it," he said as he sat up, letting the holo-display come into full focus. "Ooh, hey."

"My captain says differently," Thundercracker shrugged. "This is the inventory for one of my favorite shops. I have set the controls so you may browse, watch the vids, but not buy or leave this shop. My favorite is J7564-G534, the Double Dragon," he brought up an item that looked rather like two spikes attached together with an offset, pointing opposite directions. "This side goes in your valve, this one sheaths your spike. It's electrified. Unbelievably intense when you are by yourself."

"Whoa." The purple and black Seeker leaned forward, spinning the display around to see toy from every angle. He started to flip through different pages, occasionally asking questions or watching the very matter-of-fact instructional videos for some of the more complicated ones, and Thundercracker waited patiently until he was sure that the strange mechling-adult was fully engaged, before going back to his novel.


	2. Group Socialization

Thundercracker stood outside the detention center that Skywarp was being held in whenever he wasn't chained up to an Air Martial, watching the video feed of the inside of the new adult's cell. He realized that over the past metacycle very little outward progress had been made. Skywarp was still unusually aggressive towards most Seekers, prone to occasional attempts at violence, overly rude, and determined to be as shocking as possible.

Thundercracker had learned quickly not to take him into the general public.

But as little progress as he'd appeared to make from the outside, Thundercracker knew it was actually just the opposite. This was a creature that adjusted slowly and made very small steps along the way. Right now, he was watching Skywarp pacing in his cell, and wondering if he was crazy for what he was thinking about doing.

He'd spoken to his flock, and they'd agreed to the idea, but they hadn't been thrilled. Skywarp had just gotten his adult upgrades, much to the shock of the medics when they'd learned his age. More than a decade past what most would consider late, Thundercracker hoped they wouldn't prove too difficult to adjust to. He wanted to bring Skywarp home to experience the strength and support in a _flock_.

After a moment more of watching and taking in the new frame, which wasn't really all that different from his mechling one other than size and the scale of the wings, he stepped inside and went through all the hoops and checks to reclaim his charge.

"Hello Skywarp," Thundercracker instinctively modified the designation to show the owner was an adult. "Are you ready to be out of that cage for a while?"

"So much yes," Skywarp said, bounding over immediately. "Hey can we go flying? _Please_ say we can go flying, I promise I won't even jump you anywhere."

Thundercracker regarded his charge. "All right. Two breems' worth. Have you tested the transformation sequences yet?"

"Oh that's like _nothing_ ," Skywarp complained as he canted his wings affirmatively. "Made me test them out before we left. Come on, more than that, _please?_ "

"Whine again and you won't be flying at all," Thundercracker stated simply as he entered the cell and locked himself to Skywarp.

Skywarp pouted at him before glaring at the chain. "But I've never flown with adult upgrades," he said, very obviously trying to _not_ whine. "What if I really love it?"

"Then you will have another incentive to behave so you can be unchained," Thundercracker shrugged and tugged the chain. "Come."

Skywarp sighed and for a moment, Thundercracker thought he was in the mood to just sit down and refuse to move--it had happened before--but the promise of getting to fly seemed to be enough and the young teleporter followed him up to the roof, where he started to quiver with excitement. As Thundercracker began to check the bindings and make sure the chain would fold up in such a way that wouldn't damage either of them once they transformed, Skywarp suddenly stilled, and cocked his head at the other adult. "You feel ... weird," he said. "Different."

"You're probably picking on my signal as an untrined Order," Thundercracker responded smoothly. "Now that you're in your adult frame, you'll pick up on things like that. You'll work out what signal is which type soon enough."

"Oh," Skywarp said, and accepted the nearly empty cube that Thundercracker passed to him, carefully measured to give him just enough for a short flight. "Which am I?"

"Action," Thundercracker answered as he watched Skywarp down the scant energon offering. "Which matches my assessment of you in the beginning. You act like one."

"Apparently Actions are awesome, then," Skywarp hummed, cocking his head. "So if none of the guards felt weird that means they have trines?"

"Yes," Thundercracker nodded. "Ready to fly?"

"Yes!" Skywarp said, lighting up immediately. They transformed in unison and Thundercracker matched his speed and takeoff as close as he could to Skywarp as they climbed into the sky. The young adult in his new frame felt thrilled to be in the air.

It was enough to make Thundercracker smile to teek, and he willingly allowed Skywarp fly where he wished. It was impossible to go too far out of the way in two breems and near the end of it, he began leading Skywarp in the direction of his flock's eyrie. 

"That's not where your office is," Skywarp said as he took in the ever-richer area.

"It is my creator's eyrie," Thundercracker told him. "My flock has agreed to take you in for a while, at least for the time you are in my custody."

"...Oh," Skywarp said, and he sounded unsettled and was uncharacteristically quiet for the rest of the flight, and then the walk when he ran too low to sustain flight. At least some of that, Thundercracker was sure, was because Skywarp was too busy staring at the structures around him. 

The Vosian nobles, such as they were, weren't nearly as separate from the rest of the city as most nobles, though their residences did still tend to be much larger and grander than the average. The eyries around them were tall, broad, with masses of twisted metal covering the open tops to form partial domes. Thundercracker had always found them beautiful and he spent the rare quiet moment to appreciate the artistry put into each individual eyrie. 

"This is where you live?" Skywarp finally said.

"Yes. I'll remain with my creator's flock until I have a trine and we move out to form a flock of our own," he flicked his wings in confirmation. "Though I'm likely to still live in this area."

"Being here feels nice," Skywarp said distractedly, fascinated by the shapes of the twisted metal so far above them. "Who makes them?"

"The Action and Order of the original resident trine," Thundercracker said. "A lot of fliers move into abandoned eyries, or inherit their creators'. Once it was to protect the Vision and the Seekerlings, but now it's mostly just to show how much you can afford to build. And how _well_ you can build. When you get closer you can see metal quality better, and most like to set jewels and rare crystals into the structure. This is mine," he said, stopping in front of a modest sized structure, for the area. 

"Are there Seekerlings?" Skywarp asked.

"Not right now," Thundercracker shook his helm and held his hand to the security panel of the ground entrance, leading them into a secured area with several lifts. Built large enough to accommodate a Seeker frame, they were still rarely used, since most came and went by the open top floor. "I was of the last clutch, so it's just a question of time before one of the resident trines has another." 

Skywarp nodded as they stepped into the lift that usually only a heavily gravid Vision or sparklings used. He twitched anxiously as they went up, and then stepped out with greater caution than Thundercracker had ever seen him use before as he looked around the rooftop. From beneath, the dome structure was even more spectacular to behold, glittering in the light and a sharp contrast to the open blue sky beyond it. 

Thundercracker did a quick scan around and saw his creator trine and the trine of the Action's mate, but the other two trines that lived here, and the two that came by only occasionally, were absent. It was exactly as they'd agreed to. A limited group and as time progressed more of the residents, both trined and adult creations, would filter in. 

Skywarp's wings dipped sharply down as soon as they all looked his way. Theirs leveled to a perfectly neutral read and Thundercracker's creator-Action came forward. He was an intimidating Seeker by any standards, with heavy armor and broad wings, obvious weapon mounts and the markings of a ranked warrior who had seen actual battle defending the city.

"Hello, Skywarp," the Action said, leveling his gaze at the young adult. "I hear you will be staying with us." 

"'S what they say," Skywarp said, flitting his wings in a careless shrug. 

"You are welcome here so long as you don't mean any harm. Do you mean any harm?" Target rumbled. 

"Um ... no," Skywarp said, rocking on his pedes. "No trouble." 

The Action smiled warmly. "Then you are welcome." He looked up with an equally warm smile for his creation. "How are the winds?"

"Smooth and level," Thundercracker smiled in reply, his field and wings flaring in greeting and the warm welcome. "Skywarp, this is my creator-Action Target." He nudged the black Seeker further into the eyrie as the other two of his creation trine came forward now that their Action had vetted the visitor. "My carrier, Reve, and our Order, Aleno."

Skywarp managed an almost-proper cant--something he'd been working on--as the others all greeted him and the resident trine's creation. 

"This is Rico," Target said, trilling the designation with the subharmonics of a mate. "And his trine, Swingshift and Skydart." He placed their positions in the trine in the subharmonics, looking to see how Skywarp reacted. 

Skywarp cocked his head, listening carefully, then looked between them. "Action, and Vision," he said, almost questioning.

"Yes, I knew you were smarter than I was told," Thundercracker praised him. "There are two more trines that live here, and four adult creations, including myself. They will filter in as the orn passes," he explained as he nudged Skywarp further in.

Skydart came forward and offered their guest his pick of a selection of confections light enough in energy that it wouldn't let allow him to warp or fly. 

Skywarp accepted cautiously, wings canted suspiciously, and ate quickly. "What ... do you do?" he asked. 

"I am a border guard," Target said. "Aleno has a seat on the district council, Reve is a palace architect." 

"Oh," Skywarp said. "No I mean, here," he gestured around at the open eyrie, which was scattered with lounges, vid screens, berths set into the floor, and even a large hot oil pool directly under the largest gap open to the sky. "What do you do just here?"

Aleno gave the young adult an almost understanding look. "We socialize, have family meals, watch the news and entertainment, recharge and generally enjoy existence."

"Oh," Skywarp said again, rocking a little as he looked around. He cast an uncertain look at Target. "So you're the Action." 

"I am," Target said, canting his wings. "Thundercracker said you received your upgrades just recently?" Skywarp nodded. "Would you like to talk to an older Action?" In his voice, Thundercracker could hear the tones he'd heard as a young mechling, being taught about his kind and kin. It wasn't a voice for adults, but it was necessary for _this_ adult. 

"Yes, please," Skywarp said, looking drawn towards that option. 

Swingshift gave a curious whistle and Target flicked his wings in agreement.

"Then let's settle into a comfortable spot at talk," Target said as he looked over at Thundercracker and held his hand out. Thundercracker unclipped the chain from his wrist and clipped it to Target's in an easy, practiced move. All four flock Actions had been briefed on Skywarp's security and had been approved as temporary guardians. Once the exchange was finished, Target nudged Skywarp ever so slightly towards the hot oil pool.

He went that way easily--he'd been eying it since he'd arrived, and Swingshift followed after.

Aleno, Reve and Rico all came around Thundercracker, stroking his wings. "How is he doing?" Rico asked.

"He's improving, though he's by no means ready to be loose," Thundercracker answered, pressing into the touches lightly as his frame and field relaxed from the pre-combat tension that he held himself to whenever the teleporter was attached to him. "He flew for two groons today and didn't try to take off. I have vorns of work left at this rate."

"It wasn't fair of them to put this entire assignment on you," Rico said, shaking his helm in disapproval. "I haven't been able to figure out _why_ they did, other than you being closer to his age." 

"That is the reason given," Thundercracker continued to relaxed, his armor and wings gradually loosening in the safety of his home and family. "I suspect that I may be one of the few that would not have torn his vocalizer out by now. The mech is very annoying when bored."

"He looks very eager," Reve commented as Skydart joined them, watching Skywarp chatter to the two Actions, and listening raptly to everything they said.

"He's desperately undersocialized," Thundercracker sighed, his field full of grief and regret for that truth that was likely to haunt Skywarp's functioning for a long time. "Between spending his entire mechlinghood alone and not liking Seekers in general it's been difficult to change that," his gaze remained on the sight he'd never thought he would witness. "It's good to see him with others and actually behaving. It gives me a bit of hope for his future."

"Poor thing," Skydart trilled as he joined in the communal petting of the stressed member of their flock. "Is he really as dangerous as all that?" He gestured to the chain keeping him tied to his Order's mate.

"From all I've gathered, he's not dangerous at all," Thundercracker gave a final sigh and relaxed fully. "It's the only way to keep him if he teleports. He'll take whatever he's attached to with him. So it needs to be someone who will drag him back, or a building too large for him to teleport with."

"Hopefully he will continue to improve," Aleno said. "He may stay so long as he behaves reasonably well based on his past. Jericho's trine is planning to come back before the decaorn is out, and if everything goes well, Skynote's will not be far after." 

"What kind of timeline are you expected to hold to?" Reve asked as he linked his arm around Thundercracker's and led his creation over to one of the lounges. The others came with, all of them settling down together and Thundercracker gratefully snuggled in the small pile of warm, caring frames.

"Theoretically, until I give up. I have little expectation I will be given that long, however. I do not believe they will give me more than a couple vorns. He doesn't need to be fully socialized by then, just responsive enough that he'll come when his handler calls," Thundercracker explained. "This is the first time I've seen him engage another without being a sparkling-level brat about it."

"Oh dear, one of those," Reve sighed. "Well, Actions certainly do have it within themselves to be sparkling-level brats far into adulthood." 

Aleno and Rico chuckled together as Skydart sent a patiently indulgent look over to the Action trio. "Sparkling-level brats is right," he said, and snuggled up to Reve. "Swingshift was _horrid_ when I was carrying."

"What can you expect, he was no longer the one everyone rushed to when there was a squawk," Rico snickered. "He's such a drama whore."

"As if Skydart and Reve aren't?" Aleno laughed with good humor. "Our lovely performer is so demanding."

"I am _not!_ " Skydart gasped indignantly as Reve reached around Thundercracker to swat at his Order. "I am telling Jericho you called me demanding!"

"But you _are!_ " Rico laughed, and got his own swat.

Thundercracker ended up right in the middle of the whole thing and he couldn't help but laugh, and glanced in the direction of the hot oil pool. Skywarp was watching with a confused tilt to his wings. Target and Swingshift looked like they were trying to decide whether or not to intervene when Skywarp chirped a question and their attention turned easily back.

This was everything that an extended trine was supposed to be. Relaxed, caring, playful, caring for those that came regardless of sparkline affiliation. Thundercracker hoped that if Skywarp could be around this more, he might just come around.

* * *

A decaorn later Skywarp booted up from his first recharge in Thundercracker's trine's eyrie. The berth he was in was more of a huge pillow with several smaller ones piled about. He was chained to the building, though it wasn't like he had the energy to fly, much less warp any distance. What had really surprised him was that Thundercracker, Aleno and one of Thundercracker's siblings, a Vision that went by Line Dancer, had all piled around him before going into recharge. It felt insanely good to be with a group again, even if he wasn't about to admit it out loud.

Line Dancer was long gone by the time he finished booting, and there was the electric charge of interfacing going on _very_ close by. His audials soon placed the moans as Thundercracker and ... Rico. Wasn't Rico Target's mate?

He onlined his optics and felt his turbines warm to watch Thundercracker thrusting into the older Order from behind. He cocked his head at the sight and flicked his wings in an unintended question as he watched. It looked good, it made him miss his creators and the very brief time he'd been in his mechling updates before they'd been killed. He hadn't actually interfaced with another flier since then, and grounders only when truly necessary.

The warmth of a strong field caressed Skywarp's and he looked up to see Target looking down at him.

"They're busy, but I'm not," the big Seeker rumbled as he sank on the plush berth next to the black Seeker and reached out to stroke his wings. "Unless it's just Thundercracker you're after."

"Umm--oh, no," Skywarp said quickly. "I just, it looks nice? But don't you wanna, I mean, doesn't it bother...?"

"You spent too much time in Tarn, young one. Being possessive of mates or trine isn't natural," Target gave him a half-smile and played a delicate patter over the intricate galaxy patterns on Skywarp's wings. "They're having fun. We can, if you want to." 

Skywarp couldn't keep from pressing into the touch and Thundercracker hadn't voiced any protest to the treat. "Yeah, okay," he said, and then trilled as Target's other hand began stroking the joint between his wings. "'S it always like this in the mornings?"

"Generally, and most nights. Whoever's in the mood will 'face, others will talk, some want to recharge longer," he shrugged his wings slightly and focused on rousing the new adult. "The only thing we don't share casually is our Vision's spark. Who kindles with your Vision is a very important thing, at least in most trines. We just insist that they have approval for whatever lover they want to share with. Between Aleno's and Rico's trines, it's all good. Have you been with Thundercracker yet?"

"Nuh-uh," Skywarp said, relaxing back with a low trill. "Too uptight and serious. And _boring_."

"Does he look boring now?" Tracker rumbled as his frame shifted further over Skywarp's, testing the younger jet's readiness and willingness to submit to him without a fight.

"No," Skywarp said, going easily down and forward, trusting the older Action. "Guess not. No." Target's fingers slid down his back strut, teasing each joint as they got lower and closer. 

"Good," Target purred as his hand slid along Skywarp's aft, teasing the hip joints as one finger moved inward to stroke the valve cover, testing for both heat and willingness. It unlocked and slid away after just a few strokes and Skywarp arched up, optics fixed on Thundercracker and Rico. Next to them Aleno was beginning to stir, and he onlined his optics with a purr for his creation and the other Order before he looked around towards the other pair. 

"Morning, Target," Aleno said with a bit of a smile.

"Morning," Target rumbled with a wash of warmth through his field in greeting and a flutter of his wings. His fingers stroked the platelets surrounding Skywarp's valve, teasing pleasure from them to increase the slickness. Before he got any further, there was a trill from another berth-pile that called Aleno to his Vision's desire. "Have you taken a big spike before?"

"Yeah, 'course," Skywarp said, stretching out forward and lifting his aft up higher, moaning when the fingers pressed in exploration. "Pretty much got whatever I wanted." In front of them, Rico was starting to shudder out to his wingtips and he reached back to grab for Thundercracker, rocking under him. Skywarp _stared_. "Um--yes," Skywarp said, distracted. He moaned as the strong, thick fingers stroked in and out, gently curling and twisting to encourage lubrication and to ensure the young mech really was ready.

A low click of displeasure escaped Skywarp when Target finally withdrew his fingers, but it was quickly drowned out by the deep moan as a spike as thick as any he'd felt and far more complex in shape pressed inward at a steady rate, spreading him wide and lighting off sensors everywhere.

His optics went bright and his wings canted back with pleasure. Target's hands settled on his hips, holding him firmly as the Action rocked slowly, making Skywarp squirm with some impatience. Target answered easily, finding the rhythm that made Skywarp's field wash out with arousal, and chuckled deeply to see how easily the younger Seeker was satisfied by the steady thrusting. 

Above and between, Target and Rico's fields were playing off each other with deep familiarity and love. That extra touch from his mate pushed Rico over the edge and he brought Thundercracker with him, both of them seizing and moaning. Skywarp watched with wide, bright optics as they slumped together before Thundercracker pulled away and Rico turned his head to look at his mate, panting. "C'mere," he managed. "Bring him closer."

Target grinned and wrapped an arm around Skywarp's chest, the other gripping a silver hip and knee-walked to his mate. "I think he wants your spike, pretty," he trilled in Skywarp's audial as he settled into thrusting once more, only this time with Skywarp largely upright.

Behind Rico, Thundercracker was watching with a sated interest and drew away to have a better show. 

Rico got himself up onto his knees and entwined his fingers with Target's on Skywarp's frame as he pressed his mouth to the spike cover, coaxing it to open with his glossa. When it slid away he dipped his head to kiss at the housing, moving with the rhythm of Target's thrusts. Skywarp keened as his spike extended into the warm mouth, one hand on each of the older Seekers, holding onto them as he rocked and was rocked between them.

"That's right. Enjoy it, pretty. We're social my nature. It's not healthy to be alone," Target purred between his moans of pleasure. "You feel so good."

"Does feel good," Skywarp managed, arching into the thrusts, torn between pushing forward into the warm mouth and back onto the hard spike, and ended up just letting them move his frame between them as they willed. He was dimly aware of Thundercracker's gaze, the blue Seeker lounging near the edge of the berth, hand lazily stroking his half-extended spike. 

No, definitely not boring, he decided, in the last moments before he overloaded with a bright trill, frame locking between the older pair.

As he came down he could _smell_ the energon nearby and knew that at least some of this group were having breakfast.

He got his optics working well enough to see Thundercracker accept a cube from Skydart before Rico's careful attention to his spike drew his gaze back down to watch the Order cleaning him off. He could feel Target's transfluid running down the insides of his thighs and he trilled quietly, sinking back, dazed. The older Action's deep chuckle vibrated through him and he was gently lifted up and off and settled down onto the berth with relaxing pets to his wings. 

Beyond Thundercracker, Aleno and Reve were still interfacing on a lounge, looking lazy and relaxed. Swingshift trilled to them in greeting before coming over to join everyone else on the berth, sipping a fizzing cube. 

Skywarp's gaze fixed on the energon in Thundercracker's hand. No, he didn't _require_ it to function, but he needed it to fly, to warp and life wasn't worth much without that. His valve gave a tingle at the memory of Target's spike. Okay, it was worth a little but he needed to _fly_.

"Do you need any energon, Skywarp?" Skydart asked, before looking at Thundercracker. "How much is he allowed to have? That probably burned some." 

"He's fine, I have a read set up to his levels," Thundercracker said, stretching. "Is Jericho getting in tonight?" 

Skydart gave a pleased hum. "That's the plan." 

Thundercracker nodded and sipped his energon. "That'll be fine."

"Who's Jericho?" Skywarp managed to inject himself into the conversation.

"He's a resident trine Order, and our mate," Skydart answered, reaching out to squeeze Swingshift's hand.

Skywarp frowned. "If an Order, Action and Vision are mated, why aren't you trine?"

Swingshift gave him a strange look as he slid his arm around Skydart's shoulders, relaxing against him. "Our trines formed long before we became mates," he said. "Why would we break them for that? It wouldn't be good for any of us."

Skywarp's return look was just as bewildered. "But don't you want to be trine with your mates?"

"We're _mates_ with our mates," Skydart said with a light laugh. "Being trine with your mate is nice, I suppose," he flicked his wing against Swingshift's, "But the need for each comes from a very different place. And if we broke from Rico to take Jericho as our Order, we would lose not only Rico, but Target, Aleno, Reve, Kyrie, Valhalla, Skynote, Airstrike, and Leland. Not to mention their creations. Thundercracker, Line Dancer, all their clutch mates." 

"Rico is our _Order_ ," Swingshift said, trying to stress something he knew this young Seeker might not understand. "Those bonds don't break easily, not even for mates. And if we were trine just with our mates, we would be isolated. Yes, we would be welcome in our creations' flocks, but building a flock is..." He cast a look over his wing at the impassioned Aleno and Reve, smiling at them. "A true joy."

"Oh," Skywarp wouldn't think of anything else to say to that and he knew his wings betrayed his confusion.

"Skywarp was raised by just his trine," Thundercracker said quietly. "No mates, no siblings, no flock."

"You'll get used to the idea, or figure it out when you're trined and you find a mate," Target rumbled with easy strokes to Skywarp's wings to soothe the youth. "Once you've formed a trine-bond with another, you'll understand how serious it is to break it."

"How do you do that?" Skywarp asked, looking back and up at Target. "Form a trine-bond."

Skydart's wings gave a startled flick. "Your creators didn't teach you that?" he asked, with clear disapproval in his voice. 

Skywarp turned back with a low hiss and an aggressive rattle, but before he could speak, Swingshift had darted in front of his Vision with a hiss of his own and Target grabbed Skywarp's wings and shoved them down while pulling back, getting the youth in a painful lock. 

"That is _not_ polite," Target rumbled.

"Skywarp's creators barely survived to see his mechling upgrade," Thundercracker tried to soothe everyone even as he moved between Skywarp and Skydart in his own protective display. "As far as I've found out, they're the only Seekers he knew." He shifted his focus to Skywarp even as the youth growled and tried to get out of Target's grip. "Skywarp," he caught the black rimmed silver face so their optics locked. "You are a guest here. Do not threaten the residents. I know he insulted your creators for something they couldn't help, but that is not grounds to hiss at him."

Skywarp glared back before he stopped fighting and shifted into a sulk. "They woulda taught me," he muttered, scowling at the ground. "You gotta just tell everyone?"

"When it's important to why you act inappropriately, yes," Thundercracker said firmly as Target relaxed his grip enough to stop causing direct discomfort. "That was to protect you, whether you realize it or not."

"Wait, you lost them so soon--?" Skydart said, trying to get up and sidestep his Order. "Swingshift--oh, honestly, would you just move? He can't hurt me, look at him." He got past his Action and over to the orphan, wrapping his arms around him in a hug. "I'm so sorry, sweetspark, I didn't know." 

Skywarp looked like he didn't know what to do and Thundercracker was torn between being amused and worried and settled for both as motion caught his optic and he looked over to see Reve pushing Aleno off and coming over. Aleno stayed behind, looking pathetically after his Vision, charge still cracking visibly under his armor, wings drooped. 

Reve shooed Target out of the way and the two Visions surrounded and trilled to the young Action. Skywarp looked confused, and honestly a little worried himself.

Thundercracker smiled reassuringly at him. "It's a natural response for Visions. Taking in orphans is common. You're on the old side for it, but you're still younger than I am and you need it. Line Dancer will join in the cooing and parenting as soon as she finds out."

"Oh, wonderful," Skywarp muttered, but there wasn't any heat behind it and he was visibly starting to relax. 

Aleno came up behind Thundercracker as the blue Seeker stepped back to where he'd been relaxing before. "You couldn't have waited three kliks to make that announcement?" he asked, sounding annoyed, though not with Thundercracker. "Target coulda held him that long."

"Is that a request to finish you off?" Thundercracker chuckled with a deep rumble of amusement.

"Since it _is_ your fault," Aleno said, glaring at the pair of Visions, though Thundercracker could teek nothing worse than a fond exasperation in his sire's field. 

With another chuckle Thundercracker turned and kissed him deeply. Black fingers slid along the hard, needy length as he guided his sire to the nearest berth and sank back. His wings splayed under him, rubbing against the soft fabric. "I'm more than ready."

Aleno moved in over him with a deep purr and slid easily into the exposed valve. They rocked steadily together until they'd both reached their overloads before returning to the rest of the flock to snuggle in with the others to enjoy the rest of the lazy morning. 

* * *

By afternoon the flock had largely parted, with only Aleno and Skydart remaining, and Reve working in one of the lower levels. Skywarp was sitting on his own, chained to the building and staring up at the sky, lost in thought.

"Aleno and I are going out to fly. Care to come with us?" Thundercracker interrupted the mech's thoughts.

Skywarp perked immediately, surprised and pleased. "Yeah," he said, and stood. "How long for?"

"A joor or so," Thundercracker said with a smile and offered a partial cube. While Skywarp downed the couple mouthfuls, Thundercracker linked himself to Skywarp and released the connection to the floor. "Ready to fly?"

Skywarp trilled just _how_ very ready he was to fly and followed Thundercracker to the middle of the eyrie, next to the hot oil pool with the largest gap in the twisting nest of metal that covered them. Aleno jumped up first, disappearing rapidly into the sky, and Thundercracker and Skywarp followed more slowly, taking their care not to get tangled in the nest or with each other as they transformed. 

"Couldn't fly much in Tarn," Skywarp said. "Grounders'd take pot shots, later years."

"Why not fly somewhere less hostile?" Thundercracker asked as they took in the sky and winds while Aleno settled into the lead position of their loose threesome.

Skywarp didn't answer for a long time. "Tarn's home," he finally said.

"Home is where your trine is," Thundercracker made a counter-suggestion. "It doesn't need to remain the same place."

"But that's where I always was," Skywarp said. "It's where my creators wanted to be. They loved Tarn, even if we had to be careful. It wasn't bad, not until near the end."

"When it got very bad," Thundercracker didn't need to guess. "Would you go back, even now?"

"Dunno," Skywarp said. "I miss it. I know most mecha think it looks really harsh but it's actually really beautiful once you get used to it. Yeah, if I could go back I would. If it was safe, if I didn't hate all of them."

"Which means no going back," Thundercracker said sympathetically. "It's time to make a new home, build your trine and flock, and enjoy living."

Skywarp's field bristled with dislike. "Yeah, well, who wants a home somewhere you're not wanted?"

"There are more than two cities on Cybertron, and more than Vos are Seeker-friendly," Thundercracker said reasonably. "Iacon, Crystal City, Praxus, Altihex, among others."

Skywarp banked listlessly in a show to how unappealing any of those sounded to him. "Guess so," he said.

Thundercracker allowed the topic to fall and concentrated on flying for a while. It was more complicated when chained to another, and exponentially more complicated when chained to another that had the experience of a new youngling. It saddened the blue Seeker immensely to think that Skywarp had never had freedom in the sky.

After a while he felt Aleno's field brush out warmly against his. ::Want to take a break?:: his sire offered. ::Let me fly with him so you can get a few good laps in?::

::It would be much appreciated,:: Thundercracker replied with warm gratitude. "Skywarp, we're going to land so you can fly with Aleno for a while," he explained as he angled down towards the nearest public landing platform.

"Fine," Skywarp said, and Thundercracker felt a strange flare of _shock-bitter_ through the young mech's field before they landed and got everything swapped over. Then Thundercracker rocketed away at full speed, itching for that really good burst of _flight_ as Aleno and Skywarp followed more slowly. 

::He isn't very good at take-off and landing,:: Aleno commed after a while, as they were on their way back. 

::No, he really isn't,:: Thundercracker agreed. ::I think instead of proper technique he just warps in and out of the sky.::

::Rico's a good teacher, if there's ever time,:: Aleno mused, and then they were within sight of their eyrie.

::I think convincing Skywarp to learn will be the trick. Though any excuse to fly might be enough,:: Thundercracker hummed thoughtfully.

::Hopefully,:: Aleno agreed, and then Thundercracker felt the flare of excitement through his sire's field, and the answering confused one in Skywarp's. "Jericho's back!" he said. "And Skynote!"

Thundercracker focused in and smiled when he saw the two newly arrived trines greeting the rest of the flock. Of the two, Jericho's trine--Valhalla and Kyrie--spent more time with the flock than Skynote's did, but Skynote, Airstrike, and Leland had been a constant presence through his life and Thundercracker was just as excited as Aleno to see them. 

He landed first while Aleno carefully maneuvered with Skywarp and was immediately pounced and pulled into the chattering mix of Seekers reuniting. It was a process that dragged Skywarp into the mix just as fast, and Thundercracker could see the flash of panic and attempt to warp away. It was a reaction that instantly stilled the entire gathering long enough for Thundercracker to get in and make the switch so he could ease Skywarp out of the small mob.

"Better?" Thundercracker asked once they were a bit away.

"Yeah," Skywarp said, rocking on his pedes as he watched the gathering. Jericho, Skydart and Swingshift were quickly splitting away from the main group, tumbling for a berth, and Thundercracker pointed out each newcomer with a designation for Skywarp's benefit.

"Are any of Skynote's trine mates?" Skywarp asked. "How do they live here?" 

"Airstrike and Target are clutch-mates," Thundercracker said. "None of them are mated, but they have places in a few flocks." 

Skywarp nodded. "It ... looks nice," he finally said.

"It is," Thundercracker smiled. "I have the same claim to a spot in other eyries, should I need it. This is what being Seeker means. Trine, mates and flock. There isn't anyone I know of who was raised in Vos who isn't welcome in at least half a dozen eyries. You'll have such a greeting in time, if you want it."

Skywarp rocked a bit more, wings canted uneasily. "My creators weren't welcome," he finally said. "If it's all so great, why'd they leave it for Tarn?"

"I don't know," Thundercracker admitted, though it wasn't the absolute truth. He knew of reasons a trine would leave like that. He just didn't know exactly which one applied here. "Without their Vosian designations I can't even try to look it up."

Skywarp frowned and his field shifted to what Thundercracker recognized as the warning sign of a sullen bout of sulking, but he only had a few moments to settle into it before Reve was heading their way, Kyrie and Leland following him. 

"Oh," Skywarp said, and looked mildly panicked. "Right. Visions." 

Thundercracker chuckled. "Yes, Visions," he agreed. 

They got too close for Skywarp's comfort and his wings gave a quiet rattle, but before Thundercracker could reprimand him or any of the Actions could rush over, Reve had grabbed his wingtip and tweaked it. "None of that," he scolded. 

"You don't hafta treat me like a sparkling," Skywarp snapped. 

"You have the manners of a sparkling," Reve said with a shrug, bringing a snicker from Thundercracker. "This is Kyrie, and Leland," he introduced the other two.

"Kyrie is of Jericho's trine and Leland is of Skynote's trine," Thundercracker added smoothly.

"Act like a sparkling and you'll be treated as one," Kyrie trilled warmly as she came closer, completely unafraid of the adult Action with such poor manners. "Act like an adult and we'll treat you like an adult."

"Act like an adult and you'll probably be living here rather than visiting," Leland snickered with a teasing look at Thundercracker.

"I'm not _that_ attached to him," Thundercracker objected, though tellingly his wings and field did not object so much.

Skywarp looked at him with a slightly confused cant before the trio of Visions demanded his attention again, asking after him and how he was doing in Vos. He even managed to answer most of the questions politely. 

* * *

Skywarp was chained to the ground in his normal spot, carefully sipping at the high grade he'd been given--enough to get him out of Vos and the entire region and then some if he wasn't chained down--watching the flock's evening progress. 

It was a very routine way of living, but a nice one. The adults had their duties and occupations that they took care of throughout the orn and closer to the end they regathered in the eyrie to relax and simply, as they described it, enjoy life. It frequently seemed to mean interfacing, but not always, and Skywarp was having trouble figuring out how they chose which partner to enjoy any particular orn. Certainly the mated pairs and trios seemed to stick together normally, but even that wasn't a guarantee. With four full trines and a dozen adult creations, with or without lovers or partial trines tagging along, there were rarely fewer than a dozen mecha and sometimes over a score, and to his enjoyable bewilderment he was definitely not excluded from the interfacing.

Right now, the five Visions were all in a pile on a berth, cuddled up and whistle-clicking to each other in fond conversation. Reve was snuggled in Kyrie's lap and she had her fingers in his valve, stroking lazily, with Skydart leaned against them, knees pulled up lazily for Line Dancer, who was licking and sucking at his spike. Leland was draped over Line Dancer, rubbing her wings. It looked bizarre to Skywarp. 

But then, maybe not as bizarre as all the Orders sitting in the hot oil pool. Aleno was in Rico's lap, back pressed to his cockpit and helm resting on his shoulder, riding his spike, but it was the only interfacing going on in that group. Rico didn't even look that affected, with his hands resting on Aleno's waist but much of his focus on Thundercracker, who was cuddled up with Jericho. Skynote was absentmindedly rubbing Aleno's wing as he listened and nodded while the others conversed. 

Target, Airstrike, Swingshift, Valhalla and Recon were lounged around him, talking about their orn. None of it was very interesting though. Skywarp did not find the military something he wanted to be involved in.

After a while, when he'd started to fidget and twitch restlessly and began picking at the chain out of lack for anything better to do, Target seemed to notice him and take pity. "You'd really rather be somewhere else, wouldn't you," he said with a chuckle. 

Skywarp shrugged his wings. "Lotta places I'd rather be but I can't go to any of 'em." 

"I can think of at least _one_ place you can go," Recon said with a smirk as he glanced in the direction of the Orders and his younger sibling. "TC's really not bad in berth, you know." 

Skywarp's startled wing flick and hasty glance down away from Thundercracker made the older Seekers grin, and Target gave a whistle-trill to summon his creation over. 

Thundercracker lifted himself from the oil bath smoothly and walked over, looking around at the Actions. "Yes?" he asked. 

"Your charge is twitching from boredom," Target said, flicking a wing towards Skywarp. "Take him on a flight or find a vid or something before he chews his arm off." 

The blue Seeker's wing flicked in apology and he focused on Skywarp. "You aren't flying with that much energon in you, but what else appeals?"

"Aw, c'mon, please?" Skywarp said. "I won't do anything." 

"No," Thundercracker said calmly. 

Skywarp sighed and his wings drooped. "Vid, I guess." 

Thundercracker inclined his helm and moved the chain from the eyrie floor to his arm, then nudged Skywarp over to the entertainment center lounge. He pulled up a list of available vids and then left the decision to Skywarp, who scrolled through them several times, looking a little lost at the huge selection. "Umm ... this one," he finally said, choosing one that Thundercracker knew well. Largely a fictional action piece, it featured a mated and untrined Order tasked with an undercover assignment that eventually led him to trine with the very mecha he'd been tasked with sabotaging. 

"Ever watched it?" Thundercracker asked as it began to play on the large holodisplay of the entertainment center.

"Nah," Skywarp said. He glanced over at the flock, which seemed to be completely unconcerned with the pair sitting off on their own, and relaxed. "Never really watched any vids, really. I always liked being outside better, had a lot of trouble sitting still for long when I was a youngling." 

"Ah," Thundercracker nodded and relaxed next to him. "It's a good action vid, though for the longest time I watched it for the mating scenes rather than the rest."

"It has those?" Skywarp asked, grinning, and settled in with his wing lightly overlapping Thundercracker's. "All right, guess it won't be too bad. What'd you do for fun, when you were a sparkling?" 

"Quite a few, and I enjoyed them a great deal," Thundercracker purred at the memories. "It was probably around ten vorns in before I actually watched the entire thing," he chuckled. "I played with my siblings, flew, explored music and sound and caused no end of mayhem in the eyrie."

" _You_ , causing mayhem?" Skywarp asked with a giggle. "I can't picture that at all." 

"I was young and undisciplined once," Thundercracker chuckled, relaxing on the couch next to his charge. "Not as much trouble as some of the others, but I had my moments."

"Well that's something I'd love to see," Skywarp grinned. "You know what's excellent for causing mayhem? Teleporting."

"Oh, of that I have no doubt. Your initial display with me was quite sufficient to prove it," Thundercracker's deep red optics glittered with humor. "You could tear a city apart with the right plan and the energon to fuel it."

"Plan?" Skywarp repeated. "That's no fun. But yeah. Was tryin' to tear up Tarn ... kept running into things I didn't wanna blow up though." He hummed and scooched closer to Thundercracker, absently watching the vid.

"Like what?" Thundercracker welcomed the advance, far more interested in his charge than a vid he'd watched hundreds of times.

"Mm, like, the central industrial tower. One of my sires worked there. Or any of the parks in the northern district." He sighed. "Almost didn't even wanna do the palaces 'cause they were so beautiful."

"They were," Thundercracker agreed. "It'd difficult to target the leadership without destroying beautiful things. Most mecha with wealth or power collect such things. Even here," he waved a hand around the eyrie. "We make our homes as beautiful as we can afford to. That is true from the poorest trine to the richest."

Skywarp looked up and around, following Thundercracker's gaze. "I still think it's kinda strange looking," he said. "But I guess not bad." He looked back to the vid and his optics brightened at the searing kiss that was taking place. "Whoa. Wait, which one is that?" he asked. 

Thundercracker rolled his optics with a patient smile and explained the significant plot details that Skywarp had missed while chatting, speaking low enough to not completely drown out the aroused trilling coming from the characters. Skywarp snuggled up against his side and was suddenly quieter and stiller than it seemed like he had been in decaorns, outside of recharge.

Arousal flickered through the black Seeker's field and Thundercracker's willingly answered it. "Do you want to do more than watch?"

"Mm, well I guess you're not really so bad," Skywarp said, trying to sound very casual but the excited thrill through his field answered otherwise. "Everything considered. Um--yeah, yes. Sure." He sat up a bit straighter, wings flicking a little.

With a slow smile Thundercracker tipped Skywarp's face in for a kiss and reached with his other hand to stroke the nearest wing while his field flared hot and bright against his charge.

Skywarp trilled brightly and pushed into it, turning and climbing up onto Thundercracker a little, the vid immediately forgotten. One hand went to Thundercracker's side, the other reached a little fumblingly for his wing and there was a moment of lost balance before he regained by sliding into the blue Seeker's lap, pressing for the kiss again.

Thundercracker purred and pressed into the contact, willing and eager for the offered pleasure. "You do have pretty wings," he trilled as he stroked them, admiring the swirling patterns that looked like nebulas as his fingers reached up to tease the flaps.

"You think?" Skywarp asked with clear delight in his field. "My carrier painted them, he was really good at that kinda stuff. I like yours too." He kissed Thundercracker again, a little longer and slower. "'S nice," he murmured at the end, his field deepening with arousal.

A low hum of affirmation and thanks answered as Thundercracker's spike cover slid open. He made no effort to press for more, though, content with teasing the younger mech to greater heights of arousal. The sound alone still made Skywarp buck a little and he whined when Thundercracker stayed as steady as ever. Thundercracker chuckled and rocked back, arms going around Skywarp's waist and snugging his hips in close to his own with a teasing answering rock. Skywarp moaned and pressed hasty, not terribly neat kisses, hands trying to roam Thundercracker's entire frame in a matter of just kliks, while at the same time realizing he could probably spend _orns_ doing nothing but that.

"Want it?" Thundercracker teased as much as asked.

"Yeah," Skywarp said, and held Thundercracker's face in his hands, kissing deeply as his wings shivered in anticipation. "You wannit?"

"Yes," Thundercracker's engines rumbled deeply as his spike began to pressurize, nudging against Skywarp's valve cover.

Skywarp rocked a little, trying to tease, but the offer of Thundercracker's spike very quickly made his cover slide back, exposing the delicate platelets. The spike rubbed through them and small charges crackled between their equipment and Skywarp gave a trill. He was slick and they both could feel it, so there was no resistance when Thundercracker shifted both their frames so Skywarp sank down onto his spike with a mutual moan.

Skywarp's hands tightened on Thundercracker's shoulders and he settled himself in the blue Seeker's lap, catching his lower lip in his denta as he shuddered at feeling the spike extend the rest of the way inside him. "Oh, um--" He reached for one of Thundercracker's wings for something to hold onto and missed, and grinned as he lifted up and down. "'S good," he managed, and got the wing in his hand, holding on.

"Good," Thundercracker purred, enjoying the sensation of being fully sheathed inside an eager lover. With a firm hand he guided Skywarp up and down, claiming a kiss each time their arrays came flush.

Skywarp purred back, and there was a bright smile through his field that never went away. He nuzzled his nose against Thundercracker's and nipped playfully at his mouth, rolling his hips back and forth.

Slowly, the grin faded from Skywarp's face and his mouth fell open, lips just resting against Thundercracker's. His arms wrapped around Thundercracker's neck and he moaned, optics flickering as he moved against the length inside him.

"Feels good, 'Warp," Thundercracker moaned through the short thrusts he could manage from his position. His field flared into Skywarp's, shameless and eager for the pleasure of their frames and enjoying sharing it.

"Uh-huh," Skywarp answered, and tucked his face against Thundercracker's neck, completely lost in what he was doing. "It's--um--yeah, _yeah_ , good." He mouthed at the cables beneath his mouth, sucking and licking almost absentmindedly. "Not boring."

"I would hope not," Thundercracker moaned and tipped his helm for more of the attention even as he never broke rhythm. "Such pretty wings."

Skywarp trilled proudly and squirmed a little from the charge that was starting to itch through his lines.

"Want it hard, or keep this up?" Thundercracker's voice warned of his growing pleasure and the demands it was making.

"Um--" The question made Skywarp's rhythm falter for a moment and _excitement_ spiked through his field. "Fas--um, yeah, faster," he gasped. "Just--really--want--" Thundercracker's movements sped up and Skywarp cried out, clutching him tightly. " _Yes!_ "

With a deeper rumble of his engines Thundercracker shifted to put Skywarp on his back and used the improved range of movement and leverage to drive into him deeply and as hard as he could. One leg went up around his waist and one hand ended up on Skywarp's wing but there was no protest through the field, the younger Seeker far too distracted and engaged to even care. Thundercracker's hard thrusts shook Skywarp's entire frame and he squirmed from them, pushing back, and then started to slip. The lounge wasn't quite wide enough for a wingspan and made the whole thing awkward, but there was still a driving desperation to their fields that kept them pushing and pulling at each other, mouths meeting in half kisses, sometimes biting, and hands scrambled for purchase on each other's frames. 

Skywarp arched up and tried to grab onto Thundercracker's shoulder, but missed, and then what little balance he'd had was lost when he moved his supporting leg. Thundercracker tried to grab onto the back but it ended up being too little, too late, and they tumbled off together, landing in a heap on the floor. 

"No, don't--don't stop," Skywarp managed, giggling almost too hard to even get that much out. "Just, lemme--" He sat up enough to get his wing less caught and then sank back down and pulled Thundercracker into a deep kiss, hips rolling, teetering on overload. It was enough to focus the blue Seeker on his goal and he drove forward again, deep and forcefully, each thrust pulling a grunting moan from him until the roar of his engines crackled with overload and drowned out their cries. Hot transfluid surged into Skywarp, dumping a huge charge directly into sensors primped to transmit it directly into his neural net, making him scream in answer, and Thundercracker suddenly felt the strange pull through air and matter that he knew was the black and purple Seeker's spark gift activating.

When the charge had dissipated enough for him to think straight again he looked around and saw that they were almost exactly where they'd been, just a wingspan closer to the vid screen than they had been before. Skywarp's valve finally unclenched as his entire frame shuddered through the last wave and he looked up at Thundercracker, panting. "Sorry," he said, sounding not sorry at all, but instead incredibly pleased. "It just--um--it does that sometimes. Never go far. Mostly."

"Just when you get so distracted you go on autopilot?" Thundercracker purred with a distinct note of smug pleasure.

Skywarp swatted his helm. "You can just get that look off your face," he said, grinning hugely. He squirmed his hips a little, trying to get more comfortable, and nipped for Thundercracker's lower lip. "'S not _all_ you."

"Just the pleasure," Thundercracker rolled his hips forward, "that I can bring." He leaned forward to claim a hungry kiss. "Do you get off just as hard with your spike?"

" _Oh_ yeah," Skywarp said, and bucked in answer, pulling his knees up. "Wantin' it?"

"Yes," Thundercracker growled and thrust forward again. "After mine is dry."

 _Delight_ rushed through Skywarp's field and he grinned, hooking his legs around Thundercracker's waist to help pull him in.


	3. Recognizing Attraction

After having Skywarp in the eyrie for long enough to feel comfortable leaving him there under Target's watch and care, Thundercracker made his escape from the tiring assignment for the first time in metacycles. He had a decaorn--provided nothing went wrong--to visit his other flocks and, more importantly, see Farcry again. Longwing had been assigned out of the city, and he was a little relieved for it, because it meant there would be no competition for Farcry's attention. Longwing was a good friend and great in berth, but the other Order had been a potential threat to Farcry's trining for quite some time. 

"Well isn't _that_ a sight I've missed seeing," Farcry said warmly as he landed on the noble Vision's eyrie.

"You are a sight I've missed so much as well," Thundercracker nearly moaned in relief, his wings quivering with excitement as he came close to the Seeker he had plans to make his Vision. Farcry was everything he wanted. Soft, as far as Seekers went, quiet, sweet, unassuming, with a good processor for flock finances and a love for organizing younglings and social events. In short, everything Thundercracker wasn't.

The others in Farcry's flock lifted their wings to him in greeting and he took a moment to trill back before Farcry pressed into a purring kiss. "I hope you're intending to spend the night, and the one after that," the Vision said. "With you and Longwing both visibly absent I've been getting _all_ kinds of attention."

Thundercracker couldn't help the possessive rumble he didn't technically have any right to make. "I have a decaorn free of my duties to visit everyone I've been missing," he pulled Farcry closer and reached out to stroke one wing. "Most of that is for you."

The Vision trilled warmly and pressed in for another sweet kiss before leading Thundercracker through the eyrie over to a wide lounge large enough for five and sitting him down on it before climbing behind him and pressing hands to his wings. He immediately clicked with disapproval. "Tense," he said, and began rubbing. "Whatever have you been doing?"

There was a long groan and slumping of the blue frame in pleasure and relief. "Tarn caught a Seeker and Vos bought him, only to find out that he was massively under-socialized. So they assigned me to socialize him well enough to be sent on missions. Poor thing was barely in his mechling upgrades when the only Seekers he knew were deactivated. He's a complete mess in the processors. That's why you haven't been allowed to visit. He's staying with my creator's flock."

Farcry's startled surprise was easy to teek through their fields. "Goodness," he murmured, as he coaxed some of the plating to loosen up to him, getting his fingers in underneath to work at the wiring there. "Poor thing. Is he completely savage? Is that safe?"

"He can't even read Vosian," Thundercracker trilled his sadness. "And he wasn't safe to be around for some time. That's why they assigned an Air Martial. When he finally started to fly with me rather than bolt my creator's flock agreed to let him stay. Between Rico, Target, Airstrike, Valhalla and myself, Aleno deemed it safe enough. He's not really _safe_ , though. Just much improved."

Farcry leaned in to press a kiss to the back of Thundercracker's neck as his thumbs pressed in slow circles around the tensest cables in his wings. "Why do they want him for missions?" he asked. "There must be countless better fliers than someone who can't even read Vosian."

"He can teleport," Thundercracker was sure even someone with as little tactical background as Farcry could grasp the fundamentals of its value. Though his processors were also very quickly deciding that talking wasn't a priority. Those hands on his wing cabling were. "Primus below, I've missed your touch."

"I've missed _you_ ," Farcry trilled. "And you certainly feel like you've been taking care of a teleporting savage. I think some good tumbles and a hot soak are in order, after I give you a full rub down."

"That sounds like a blissful way to spend the evening," Thundercracker moaned deeply and pressed into the touch. "Then spend the night against you. In the morning I can polish you until you shine."

Farcry's field shone with delight at the suggestion. "Lay down, on your front," he said, and once Thundercracker had complied, climbed above him, straddling the small of his back as he worked on neck, wings, and back strut, continuing the massage all the way down to the legs and pedes. Thundercracker turned into an incoherent pile of parts before the massage was even half over, melting from the Vision's trained touch. 

"Back?" Farcry finally trilled, once he had finished cleaning Thundercracker's pedes, the subharmonics those of a request that could be denied without consequence.

It took a couple tries and a bit of help from a delighted Farcry, but Thundercracker was happy to roll over, even if his frame wasn't so thrilled with moving. His field was thick with pleasure, physical and emotional, and despite the dimness of his optics his smile was very warm. "You're very good to me."

Farcry smiled and moved into a straddle over Thundercracker, hands going up to his shoulder vents and starting there. "You work far too hard not to have someone being good to you," he said. "And I enjoy it." Thundercracker hummed in something like a response and Farcry went back to work, focusing on getting to every single possible cable as he worked his way down Thundercracker's frame. When he reached the pelvis, Farcry gave a curious, offering lick over the spike plate, optics lifted up to watch Thundercracker's response.

Deep red optics flashed with a rousing flare of Thundercracker's field. The spike cover slid open easily, arousal quickly creeping into his frame, heat pooling in his thrusters, his interface array, around his spark. "Like I'll ever turn down your attentions," he purred eagerly.

Farcry's wings canted with humor as he pressed his mouth to the housing, swirling his glossa around the entire thing in slow circles. Thundercracker's frame was already warm and relaxed from the massage, it took very little for Farcry to coax the tip of his spike out, drawn by the offered heat and softness. Thundercracker moaned in pleasure, his affectionate field spiking with tingles of pleasure and anticipation, but his frame still open and lax. Farcry's lips were familiar and welcoming and the Vision radiated a true joy to perform this task for his lover. It was one he always executed with great care and precision. 

Forced into silence, Farcry spoke with his field, open and steady. He was one of the most mild mannered Seekers Thundercracker had ever met, and that had immediately drawn him to the untrined Vision. Farcry was sweet and a little on the quite side, caring and attentive. Neither was completely sure about trining, but every time Thundercracker was here he became a little more convinced. 

His spike finished extending and he x-vented when Farcry ran his glossa up the full length before swirling it over the tip, resting his hands on Thundercracker's hips as he continued to lavish attention. He moaned, his vents gasping now and then as he lay, utterly lax, and allowed his lover to tend to him. It was so unlike his usual, and he reveled in it just as much as Farcry did.

The mouth eventually closed around his tip and pressed down, taking Thundercracker completely in. The intake tightened around him and Farcry's helm bobbed slowly, relaxed and drawing the pleasure out for as long as he could. As relaxed as Thundercracker was, it was a blissfully long time. Long enough for Farcry's systems to begin to complain to him about their extended state of arousal. Still, he moved no faster until Thundercracker's moans took on a very different tenor and even his relaxed state couldn't stop the shallow thrusts he made every time Farcry lowered his helm.

Bliss, trust, desire, approval, affection and want all mingled in Thundercracker's field for Farcry to enjoy. The Vision purred, dipped his hands into Thundercracker's hips, and then pressed his helm as far down as he could, lips hitting housing, and swallowed. 

Thundercracker's overload came with a strangled groan and hands found Farcry's helm, holding him there until the charge faded. Once they slipped away, Farcry pulled up and off, licking the entire length as he went and placing a kiss to the very tip before he looked up with a smile. "I enjoyed that very much," he purred, and his hands had already picked up the massage again.

"You're so good at it," Thundercracker purred, embedding how much he loved that Farcry gained such pleasure of a normally one-sided act in every glyph and harmonic. He reached out to the dataports that Farcry enjoyed so much. "What pleasure will sate your systems?"

"I'm going to finish with this," Farcry said, tweaking one of the tense cables. "Then get you polished, and then," he leaned in to lick playfully at Thundercracker's still half-extended spike, "I'm going to fully enjoy myself on this."

Thundercracker's wings shivered in anticipation before his entire frame went lax and he allowed his optics to drift offline. "You have the most amazing hands."

"I know," Farcry said with a pleased smile in his voice, and a thrill through his field that he couldn't hide. 

The massage finished not long after that and then Farcry set about polishing Thundercracker's frame, paying careful attention to even the most minute details as he worked. He managed to get Thundercracker to roll over to get his back, and then once more so he could move back into the straddle over his hips with a trilling request. Thundercracker took a moment to focus from his pleasured daze, then slid his spike cover open. He was hard and fully extended within a quarter klik just from his lover's field.

"All yours, beautiful," Thundercracker purred.

"You are such a gentlemech," Farcry said, and leaned forward to take a kiss while his cover slid away and his hips moved up. He carefully lined up over his lover before sinking down. They both moaned into the warm, languid kiss as Thundercracker finally found the controls for his arms and reached up to stroke the sleek cream wings above him.

Farcry rested forward on his arms, bringing them closer as he moved his hips in slow, even circles, fully taking his time to enjoy the sensations and the moment. His fingers brushed over Thundercracker's helm, stroking the Order with the same slow rhythm that his frame was moving in. The warmth, non-physical pleasure and trust on display under him was intoxicating on many levels.

Gradually Thundercracker's hips began to lift up with every cycle as the pleasure increased. He always tried to stay still when Farcry was riding him--the Vision generally didn't prefer to use his valve or spike and he only reached overload this way when he had almost complete control over the motion--but it was so hard not to move. Farcry answered by shifting up, sitting up straighter so he could use his thighs to lift up and give Thundercracker more room, permission to thrust implicit in the motion. He spread his wings out and they vibrated with the bliss of being with a courting Order, helm tossed back, optics flickering from the slow growing charge.

Under him, Thundercracker's vents were gasping between deeply pleasured moans. Deep red optics dimmed and shuttered, the blue Seeker's entire focus on his lover and trying to last long enough for Farcry to overload. Holding back got harder and harder until finally Thundercracker didn't think he would be able to make it, when the Vision's helm tossed back and his entire frame went rigid. Thundercracker found himself treated to the sight of the Vision he wanted to trine with locked in ecstasy, wings flared out and quivering, blue arcs of charge dancing up and down his frame.

That made all the effort worth it for the fraction of a klik that Thundercracker could continue to hold back and revel in the incredible sight. It made the bliss washing over him from his lover's field all the more intense when he roared and drove his hips upwards, burying himself as deeply as he could before the sharp crackle of charged transfluid rushed through his spike and into the Vision he desired.

Farcry's frame seized back up immediately from the hard hit of current into the sensitive, primed sensors. His keen was the only thing to break through Thundercracker's whited-out sensornet. It created a screaming surge of heat and charge to drive him even higher. His backstrut arched along with his wings, putting pressure on the wing-joints and his neck, and he couldn't have cared less. He'd been in spark-overloads that weren't this intense.

Farcry came down first, collapsing forward and panting heavily, and when Thundercracker was finally externally aware again, he found the Vision's mouth against his own in a deep kiss that he immediately returned. Heavy arms worked to reach up to stroke the exquisite cream wings as Thundercracker tried to orient himself again.

When the kiss finally ended, Thundercracker shifted his hand to caress the side of a cockpit, then up to Farcry's face. "I would be your Order, if you will have me."

"I think I would like that," Farcry said, smiling and turning into the palm, glossa flicking out to lick Thundercracker's plating. "I missed you far more than just a potential Order."

Thundercracker's engines rumbled deeply and his field flared out with intense joy. "I will be the envy of the district."

"Mhmm." Farcry smiled and snuggled up against Thundercracker's chest. They would have to decide on an Action before they trined, and anything could happen in that time, but it was still as close to a promise as he would be able to get until then.

SxSxSxSxSxSxSxSx S===================S SxSxSxSxSxSxSxS

Thundercracker knew the sound of his to-be Vision's engines from hics away and his own warmed in anticipation. While their verbal agreement held very little actual weight, and they still needed to decide on an Action before trining, knowing that Farcry would almost certainly be _his_ was a thrill. He came from an old, pure sparkline, and even though his flock was only minor nobility, he would make an excellent carrier and was everything Thundercracker wanted in a Vision. Farcry was not just content to live for their eyrie and creations, but ecstatic about the idea.

"What's up?" Skywarp nudged his keeper, a Seeker he found himself often forgetting held his chains. It was so easy to forget now that the physical chains were gone, and sharing pleasure with the blue Seeker and some of his flock was addicting. The socializing was addicting. The grooming ... his wings shivered just thinking about the most platonic of times, never mind when Target or Thundercracker were out to make him keen.

"Farcry is coming," Thundercracker's wings flicked and flared in his excitement. "He'll be my Vision once we agree on an Action."

"Oh," Skywarp said, perking. He looked upward, searching for the Vision just as intently as Thundercracker. "He's that one you said you were fragging? Him and Longwing. Why do you have to wait for an Action?"

Thundercracker rolled his optics with a twitch of his wings at Skywarp's crude comments but let them pass. "Farcry's preference," he zeroed in on the sound of his to-be trinemate far faster than Skywarp could. "Stay here," he added almost absently as he launched to go greet Farcry.

Skywarp stuck his glossa out at the retreating figure but stayed sulkily and obediently in the eyrie, watching the two fliers meeting in the air and starting a playful, spinning dance.

"One orn you'll be up there with them," Target's voice was a low, warm rumble as the large Action came up behind Skywarp.

"Heh. Nah, I'll never fly like TC does," Skywarp said, shrugging his wings. "Nice to watch though."

A small, sad smile briefly crossed Target's features. "Perhaps not, but you enjoy flying with him, don't you?"

Skywarp brightened. "Oh, yeah! Especially when he lets me warp so I can keep up."

"You'll be able to keep up better when you've had a few decades of wind under your wings," Target said with easy certainty. "Thundercracker's not _that_ fast and you're in the same weight class."

Skywarp trilled from the encouragement, but he remained fixated on the flying pair. "Wow they're pretty like that," he sighed longingly. "Why would they want to wait to trine?"

"Some mix of ancient custom and personal preference on Farcry's part. Though mostly I think he's taken by the romantic thought of it," Target chuckled and looked up at the dancing lovers. "They are pretty. They'll have pretty creations."

Skywarp's field blushed out brightly. "Guess they will," he said, rocking on his pedes. "Farcry's got nice wings." He looked over his shoulder at Target. "Should I do anything special or just be normal?"

"Just be normal," Target gave a black wing a reassuring brush as the pair came in for a landing. "Be yourself. Thundercracker likes you. He's going to want Farcry to like you. He'll do what he can to make it work."

"Why would he want..." Skywarp said, then trailed off as Farcry landed and transformed into root mode. "...Oh." The cream wings were bright in the sunlight and the young Action gulped a little.

"Farcry," Thundercracker trilled the full formal designation that now included a faint trine-possessive marker that made his flock take more note than usual. "This is Skywarp, the charge I told you about."

Skywarp inched in close enough to teek, and his wings fluttered strangely as soon as he did and his head cocked, optics shifting into a tight focus on the untrined Vision. Farcry wings remained in a polite cant under the gaze, but when it lasted for longer than was at all appropriate, Target reached out and tweaked Skywarp's wing, startling the younger Action. 

"But--" Skywarp said, startled out of his stare. "He--" He'd felt untrined Visions before, some of Thundercracker's siblings and clutch mates, but this one had a particularly strong call to him. "Um, sorry." He ducked his helm and wings. 

Farcry smiled easily. "Thundercracker has told me quite a lot about you," he said. 

Skywarp mumbled something and scuffed his pede, and then the rest of the flock had gathered to ask about the inflection they'd heard in Thundercracker's voice. He listed, shying away a bit even as he kept stealing glances at Farcry and Thundercracker as the pair confirmed that they had a verbal agreement to trine once they found their Action. The black Seeker wasn't entirely sure what to make of Thundercracker's wings or look when he said that, but it made parts of his coding tingle. It felt very much like when Thundercracker was focusing his entire attention on Skywarp and was happy, rather than rumbling over a prank gone wrong.

Finally the flock started to ease back and the chattering and wing-petting eased enough for Skywarp to shuffle forward a bit. "Um." He kept his optics down, helm ducked to hide the embarrassed smile that he couldn't really explain. "You look good, together. Flying. You look flying good together. Good flying! You look good, flying together." Skywarp wished he could kick himself. 

"Thank you," Farcry trilled, ignoring the awkwardness with relaxed ease. The excitement in Thundercracker's field was enticing, as was being the subject of such pure desire. ::He is young,:: he pinged Thundercracker, worried that the Action was far too young despite his physical age.

::He is. I can't court him, or accept a courting until he's no longer my charge as well. I'm starting to like him though,:: Thundercracker accepted the warning. "Hot oil?" He nuzzled Farcry.

"Yes," Farcry purred, nuzzling in return, and they made their way over to the large pool to join Aleno, Swingshift, Skydart and Jericho. Skywarp watched with an obvious longing cant in his wings. 

"Trine interest?" Target rumbled from behind, startling him. 

"What?--no, um. Oh. What?" Skywarp said, finally tearing his gaze away and looking over his shoulder to see Target and Rico watching him with open interest of a very different kind. That of creators towards a potential trinemate of their creation.

"You're unusually fixated on Farcry," Rico said as he walked closer and casually placed himself in Skywarp's line of sight to the pre-trine pair. "I know he's light and pretty, but he's not the first untrined Vision you've met here."

Skywarp shrugged his wings. "Dunno. Thundercracker likes him, 's all. Wanna make sure it works I guess."

"That's trine interest," Rico chuckled and patted Skywarp's shoulder. "You're already thinking of Thundercracker as yours."

Skywarp's wings hiked up, stiff with a mixture of embarrassment and protest. "I am not!" he said, and neither Target or Rico looked the slightest bit convinced. "Like I would trine with someone as uptight as he is."

"Your reactions say otherwise," Target chuckled and patted Skywarp's shoulder. "You're quite old enough to want to trine."

"Ew," Skywarp complained, and pointedly turned away so he couldn't stare at the pair that was sinking into the hot oil pool with blissful expressions on their faces. "What're you two doing?" he asked hopefully. 

Rico raised an amused wing at him. " _We_ are going to go inside and use one of the playrooms. You're welcome to join, but I don't know that you'd enjoy it."

"Oh." Skywarp drooped.

"Don't look so down," Valhalla's high, musical voice laughed as she landed next to him. "We'll sit with you for a while."

"Thundercracker and Farcry are always fun to watch," Kyrie added with a trilling grin as she joined her trinemate.

Skywarp shrugged his wings. "Yeah they're not all that bad I guess," he said, and stole another look.

"Sure you don't want to head over?" Recon asked casually, joining them. "They're probably a lot more entertaining than an old set trine and an Action. We'll be boring as Pit when you could be over there with _that_."

"Aw, you guys aren't boring," Skywarp said, turning back with a bright smile. "Yeah, sure I'll sit with you."

"My brother _likes_ you, you know," Recon gave Skywarp a sideways glance as they settled, all four of them looking across the lower eyrie to the hot oil pool and the five Seekers in relaxing and chatting it.

Skywarp's wings gave a startled flick that his field mimicked by blushing. He ducked his helm. "I mean I guess he's nice to me," he said, trying to shrug carelessly.

Valhalla chuckled. "If he was any nicer to you, the Actions trying to court him would challenge you, charge or not."

Skywarp's bright grin was infectious, making everyone looking at him smile. "You really think? He _is_ really handsome even if he is kind of an aft." But it didn't sound like an actual insult. And then he frowned. "Actions courting him? What Actions?"

"Quicktwist, Sound Barrier and Tailslide are the top contenders," Recon answered. "I think he's partial to Sound Barrier, but then I like him, so I hope he joins the flock. Like Farcry, they've mostly stayed away while you've been jumpy."

"Ohh." Skywarp fidgeted a bit. He frowned again and tilted his head, face screwed up as he thought about that. "So, um. They're gonna start coming back now? Does Farcry like any of them? Thundercracker said that he wasn't interested in any Action so maybe he won't choose for a while? And anyway what makes you think that I care?"

"You care," Valhalla snickered. "It shows in your wings, the way you look at him, but especially in how you reacted to Farcry. That was all an Action checking out his Order's first pick of a Vision."

"They'll be around soon, once one of them notices that Farcry is back," Recon shrugged one wing.

"He likes Quicktwist, though not enough to push Thundercracker towards her," Kyrie smiled down at the scene below. "I think he'd accept any of the three if Thundercracker really liked them. As for choosing, now that he has Farcry's verbal agreement to trine and it's dependent on selecting an Action, he'll want to move on that sooner rather than later."

Skywarp nodded, wings settling in an uncertain cant as he looked over at the pair in the hot oil pool. Thundercracker was grooming Farcry's wings, rubbing the oil into the plating in even circles. "But you think he likes me?"

"Yes," Recon said, earning agreeing hums from the older pair.

Skywarp smiled brightly and his wings lifted up. "Farcry seems nice." 

Recon chuckled. "Farcry is _sweet_. It's just like TC to go for such a docile Vision, I don't think I could stand it." 

"He gets that from Aleno," Kyrie said with a smile. "Very traditional and has to be the one making the decisions."

"Another reason he likes you," Valhalla nudged Skywarp with her wing. "You've got the fire and spunk to be a solid Action, but not the level of ambition that Airstrike and I have."

"If you want him, pamper Farcry," Kyrie trilled helpfully. "Show that you're good at more than just a roll in the berth."

Skywarp nodded in earnest understanding, having completely forgotten to continue pretending that he wasn't interested in Thundercracker. The other adults continued watching him for a few moments, as his wings slowly canted back longingly, before Recon stretched his leg out and shoved Skywarp in the aft. 

Skywarp gave a startled, offended chirp and looked over his shoulder, glaring. "Hey!" 

"Either get going over there or stop staring," Recon chuckled, not at all apologetic.

"Go on, Actions aren't afraid of _action_ ," Valhalla teased him.

Skywarp straightened indignantly. "Not afraid of _anything_ ," he said, and got quickly to his pedes. He warped twice, both of them distances that were hardly even visible and no more than a matter of a few steps, and climbed into the pool. Thundercracker and the others trilled a welcome to him, but it was Thundercracker that shifted and offered him a seat next to his wing. Which put Skywarp on the wrong side to do more than talk to Farcry. Which was fine, the young Action supposed, except he wasn't usually all that good at talking so how was he supposed to pamper Farcry with rambled questions and half-formed thoughts that more often than not ended somewhere different than where they'd begun. He cycled his vents and steeled himself, and managed a bright, cheery, "Hi!"

"Hello," Farcry replied with lazy pleasure brought on by Thundercracker's attention to his frame. Having strong hands rub plating and ease the tension in wires was making him relax far too much around a stranger, even a stranger that his Order-to-be trusted. Thundercracker had been specifically vague about the details of Skywarp's history, what had brought him into custody and to what amounted to intense social rehabilitation, but Farcry had a hard time forgetting that this flier was _not_ normal. 

And from the focused teek he was feeling paired with the intent cant, Farcry easily believed that Skywarp needed the rehab. Badly. 

"Skywarp," Thundercracker finally murmured, as relaxed as Farcry was in the cleaning task. "That's enough teeking." 

"Oh," Skywarp said, and the intense, nonstop focus finally eased up, to Farcry's relief. "Your wings are really pretty," the young flier said.

"Thank you," Farcry purred, understanding without being told that part of his purpose in being here was to expose Skywarp to new Seekers and to try to teach him how to behave in a way that might stick. He wasn't as sure that Thundercracker realized that Skywarp thought of him as _his Order_ , not his guardian. Though given how under socialized Skywarp clearly was, Farcry wasn't sure he wanted to know what he'd been like at first, or if Skywarp understood the difference.

The entire situation brought to mind old horror stories of Seekers who attempted to return to Vosian society after being raised by kind but clueless grounders. Farcry had never thought such stories could be real, but he was now sitting entirely too close to living proof that it happened.

"Did I see you teleport just now?" he tried to steer the conversation towards Skywarp so he wouldn't fixate on staring again.

"Did he?" Thundercracker asked with a low rumble as he shot Skywarp a _look_. 

Skywarp cringed a little. "Just a few steps," he promised, and after another moment, Thundercracker turned back to his work on the Vision's wings. It wasn't exactly forgiveness, but it also wasn't punishment, and Skywarp brightened at receiving so little berating compared to normal. "Yeah," he answered Farcry, field beaming with pride. "Guess it's my spark gift? I just think where I want to go and then I'm there."

"That's incredible," Farcry said with honest amazement. "It must be one of the more unique gifts to have. You must have been a terror to keep track of when you were young."

"Yeah," Skywarp said with a giant grin. "But my creators could always tell where I was anyway. Creator bond stuff. What's your spark gift? Have you heard Thundercracker's?"

"His designation says it all," Farcry chuckled softly. "Yes, I have heard his, though only at a distance. The first Order to court me already had an Action and was determined not to share my attentions until we were trined. He decided the best way to get rid of Thundercracker was to challenge him. It did not work out so well for him," Farcry trilled, fluffed and proud that he was desirable enough to be fought over. "My gift is the ability to throw my voice a great distance without being loud. I project where I wish to be heard and my voice goes there."

"Oh wow," Skywarp said, and his wings lifted with real interest, optics brightening. "I bet you could be really good at singing for mecha. Your voice is really pretty too. Do you have to see the place or do you just think it? At first I had to see places but then I got better at it. I can only warp to one place, though. Can you project to just one place?"

Farcry's wings fluttered at the praise even as he had to work to follow Skywarp's rudimentary Seeker-cant heavily mixed with Imperial Standard and half-random jumps of topic. It wasn't how a conversation was supposed to flow, but he reminded himself, again, that Thundercracker's charge was, at best, a young mechling in an adult frame. He was to be pitied and gently taught by example, not harshly admonished as an adult would be.

"I do enjoy singing, though I have not attempted to use my gift in such a way," Farcry answered, his glyphs intentionally slow and smooth. "I project by distance and direction, so I do not need to know a place, though I do need to know where it is relative to me. I may be able to project to multiple locations when I am older. For now I can come very close by switching the destination rapidly."

Skywarp hummed and smiled and nodded. The other adults using the pool had left, leaving just them there to enjoy the heat, and Skywarp stretched before inching a little closer. "Can I help?" he asked.

::It would be good, I think, if you can tolerate it,:: Thundercracker commed to Farcry.

"All right," Farcry agreed. ::You are going to make sure he understands that I'm not agreeing to being courted by him.::

::I will,:: Thundercracker promised. ::I'm pretty sure he has no clue what it means yet.::

::I do not doubt it,:: Farcry sighed, and his wings got a little tenser when Skywarp touched them. 

"Follow what I'm doing," Thundercracker murmured. "Like Reve showed you, but I know what Farcry enjoys, so try to stick to that. All right?" 

Skywarp nodded and copied the careful seam tracing movements that Thundercracker demonstrated. Slowly Farcry relaxed again, his wings and armor going lax and loose under their combined touch until he was resting against the edge of the pool, his back to them. Skywarp was at least a fast learner when he set his processors to something, and this seemed like something he very much wanted to learn. He obeyed Thundercracker's instructions quickly and attentively, rubbing the oil into the plating until Farcry was purring and strutless, arms draped forward and optics dim with bliss.

"Recharge?" Thundercracker trilled very softly to Farcry, who hummed agreeably back despite how reluctant he was to move. Thundercracker wasn't very excited about the prospect either, and he'd dragged the massage out as long as he was able, enjoying the calming effects it was having on Skywarp. But they'd been in the oil pool for close to three joors, and it was time to move. 

They eased their hands back and gave Farcry the time he needed to stand and let the oil slide down his frame. Skywarp fixated again, but Thundercracker quickly redirected the focus over to Target and Rico, who were just coming upstairs with a sated cant on their wings and gate and a scuffs on their finish that Skywarp couldn't readily place the cause of.

Farcry looked over his shoulder and trilled to Thundercracker, who followed with dark, hazy optics to his future Vision's berth of choice.

Skywarp climbed out of the pool and lingered behind, watching as they settled. He looked to Target and Rico, who canted their wings to him in open invitation, and then back to Thundercracker and Farcry. He shifted back and forth, rocking on his pedes, wings canted indecisively. Most of the time he recharged with Target and Thundercracker, and he wasn't sure if he would be welcome with the fascinating new Vision. 

Finally he cautiously made his way over to Thundercracker and Farcry, inching forward and asking careful permission with his wings. He'd seen it before among Thundercracker's siblings, the few times they'd come with prospective trinemates, and he was pretty sure that Thundercracker wouldn't want him to just join them. There was a bit of hesitation when Thundercracker nuzzled Farcry and directed the half-aware mech's attention towards Skywarp, then flicked his wing in a welcome that directed Skywarp to be on the other side of the blue Seeker from Farcry.

Skywarp obeyed very carefully, taking the long way around the berth to avoid being too close to Farcry at any single moment, before moving down to join them, cuddling up behind Thundercracker. He made sure his field said his thanks to the relaxed pair.

On another berth area Aleno, Target, Reve and Rico relaxed together and watched.

"I wonder how much of that is rewarding good social behavior and how much is what it looks like," Rico murmured.

Target hummed, fingers absently following the scuffs and scratches in his mate's wings. "Kid's come a long way," he said. "Thundercracker sees that."

"He has, and he does," Rico agreed. "Hard to believe that's the same Seeker that came in chained to him. Even if he still has the manners of a youngling."

Aleno chuckled and turned away to nuzzle his Vision. "He has the manners of a _grounder_ ," he said. 

"Oh, he does not," Reve protested, swatting him. He was still watching his creation, smiling fondly. "It will take time, but I think we might be seeing a trine." 

"I hope so," Target rumbled from where he was tucked between Rico and Reve, all his fondness for Skywarp coming out in his voice.

SxSxSxSxSxSxSxSx S===================S SxSxSxSxSxSxSxS

Less than a vorn. He'd been in Vos for less than a vorn and already he was willingly remaining without chains or energon rationing. He stayed for Thundercracker, and for Target. He was really starting to like Farcry too, though it was a different kind of like, a like tied to Thundercracker.

At the moment, however, he was thoroughly annoyed with them both. He'd booted up from recharge feeling decidedly good, until good registered as aroused and he focused his optics onto Thundercracker on his knees, bent over and taking Farcry from behind. Their wings were flared in pleasure, the heat rolling off them enticing, and the sounds they were trying to mute had Skywarp's spike extended and in his hand without him realizing it.

He knew from experience that if he tried to join them Thundercracker would chase him off. But then, the Order had never voluntarily interfaced with his Vision-to-be this close to Skywarp before so maybe that was a good sign. He still didn't want to get hit over the helm so he stayed where he was and tried to control his ventilations, because the pair felt _good_ together and he didn't want to get chased off just yet. 

If he couldn't join them, he knew he could go to one of the other trines and any one of them would happily indulge in a morning 'face, so at least there was that. He could enjoy this for now and head to one of them later, because it was definitely enjoyable. Thundercracker's broad, dark wings shielded his Vision-to-be as their pleasure cascaded through their fields. It was erotic, watching electricity arc over and under Thundercracker's armor as he drove into the lighter Seeker. The first deep, rumbling grunt that warned of Thundercracker's building overload wrenched a moan from Skywarp.

Farcry's head turned and both their wings adjusted to look at him, and then Thundercracker shouted out, driving into his lover as his ecstasy peaked. Farcry gasped, vents exhaling harshly, and shuddered as the charge from the transfluid coated his valve. It wasn't an overload, and the Vision's field still teeked incredibly aroused, but also satisfied. 

It was a strange mix and Skywarp chirred in confusion before he could stop himself. It was to his benefit that Thundercracker was still caught in the grip of bliss too strongly to react.

"My valve isn't very sensitive," Farcry explained, relaxing as Thundercracker came down and sank against him. "It feels good. It's just rare for me to overload like this."

"Oh." Skywarp watched Thundercracker's wings shudder with another small aftershock and he bit down on his lip, hand tightening around his spike. "But I've seen you..." 

"When I'm on top and can control it to be exactly the way I need it," Farcry said, trilling fondly to Thundercracker, who nuzzled the back of his neck. "He indulges me and I indulge him."

"Want me to make him go away?" Thundercracker mumbled, quite content to be lax for a little while.

Farcry regarded the aroused young Seeker for a moment, then hummed a negative. "You like him, and he's not bad."

"Okay." Thundercracker gave a contented, almost pleased sound, then paused. "You want me to move."

"Just a little," Farcry cooed, softening the request. 

Despite the grumble, Thundercracker withdrew and slid sideways, away from Skywarp. His optics were not perfectly focused, but they were locked onto Skywarp with wings tilted in a blatant warning not to screw up.

"Have you hardlined before?" Farcry asked as he moved a bit closer to Skywarp.

"Long time ago," Skywarp said, optics flicking between the Order and the Vision, almost scared to move in case he made a mistake. He let go of his spike and pushed himself up with his arms, focusing on Farcry, whom he more and more found himself wanting to please. "Wanna?"

"Yes," the sleek, pale noble trilled and summoned Skywarp to him with a lazy wing and hungry look. "I think we both have a charge to deal with."

Skywarp nodded rapidly and didn't hesitate in moving closer, and placed one hand on Farcry's canopy. The glass was warm and the Vision's teek was intoxicating. "Can I kiss you?" he murmured, thumb rubbing in slow circles. 

"Yes," Farcry leaned forward to kiss him and used the motion to press Skywarp to his back. His fingers found the panel over his chest vent and caressed it, sending a surprisingly intense jolt of pleasure through Skywarp's primed systems.

He found the same panel on Farcry's frame and his wings quivered with the delight of getting to _touch_. It opened under his fingers and his answered as the kiss deepened. The quiver turned into a flutter and Skywarp moaned, optics darkening as some instinct started to take over. 

_Vision._

Skywarp lifted his head, looking intently at Farcry, reaching to his own chest and pulling his cable. He barely knew how to do more than plug in, but he remembered that much. He knew to hand the cable over so the other could expose himself, rather than force the connection. For himself, he plugged Farcry in the moment he had the cable and cried out at the rush just the initial sequence where they synchronized caused inside him. The outside universe fell away and there was only himself and the Vision above him. A Seeker that now seemed so much different than before. Farcry looked delicate and acted shy, even timid in ways, but here, processor to processor, Skywarp understood the strength that allowed Farcry to be so submissive. It wasn't a lack of strength or will, but an absolute strength of self that felt no need to force his will on the outside.

The first surge of charge across the lines made them both shake and Skywarp clung tightly to Farcry. The Vision's enjoyment of this act was evident, something he saw as a cleaner and purer form of interfacing. 

"S-show me what you like best," Skywarp said. He tried to make it come out as a purr, seductive. He knew he hadn't succeeded, but he _felt_ that Farcry appreciated the effort.

~Time your pulses between mine,~ Farcry cooed between their minds and gently nudged Skywarp's attention towards those protocols before he sent another pulse of energy directly into the black Seeker under him.

Skywarp nodded and pulled Farcry into another kiss as he sent an answering pulse before the first had even finished rippling through his frame. Hot and electric, it raced through his wires in a pleasure that spread out instead of focusing on one place. He felt it in his spike, but no more than he did his arm, his wings. 

And still, with all of it, the most joyful part was how much he could tell Farcry liked what he was doing. It was intimate in a way physical just wasn't, not even being filled or filling another was. It felt like there could be no lying here. What felt good and the reactions were so easy to perceive. Yet it was work too. A lot of work compared to what he was used to.

But it felt so good to make the Vision feel good, to pleasure him in a way that he enjoyed. It wasn't as if it didn't feel amazing, even if Skywarp doubted it would ever be a favorite of his. But just like Farcry being happy to indulge Thundercracker's preference for penetrative interfacing, Skywarp knew he'd happily indulge Farcry in this whenever he wanted.

A powerful pulse of energy hit Skywarp and all thoughts scattered. He managed to hold on enough to trade pulses, but that was all he could do. He was aware of the kiss--slow, uneven and sloppy with most of their attention focused elsewhere--and Farcry's gasps, and his hands and the way his wings canted in pleasure--but mostly he was aware of how _good_ it felt.

Distantly he felt Thundercracker join them, but instead of pushing them apart he settled behind Farcry and began to rock, his field meshing tightly with theirs to share the pleasure three ways. Deep inside Skywarp's awareness came a rumble that this was acceptance, and more than that, this was _mating_. Creations came from pinning their Vision between them in this incredible pleasure. A small taste of what he would one day experience in full. He would have to trine, he understood that now, either that or go insane. His creators hadn't had enough time to teach him everything he needed to know, but he'd known that much. 

Thundercracker's teek was distracting and it made his spike ache, but he tried to stay focused on the hardline interface that Farcry was enjoying so much. The regular pulses from Farcry helped, as did Thundercracker's muted pleasure and how he wasn't trying to push the physical pleasure into the mix. It was simply there. Yet the sight of Farcry rocking to Thundercracker's thrusts above him was enough to draw a keen from Skywarp as he sent a huge surge of current from his arousal into the Vision.

That was all the smaller mech needed and he overloaded with a cry, the current surging into Skywarp across their plating and though the hardline while it battered Thundercracker everywhere they touched. Thundercracker surrendered with a grunting moan, the surge of his pleasure adding to the cacophony rushing into Skywarp.

Skywarp keened and shook as it became too much and he toppled into a whiteout overload, his plating tingling from the rushing, dancing currents. 

When he came down from it, panting, he gazed at Farcry with barely focused optics. "You're amazing," he murmured.

The pale Seeker smiled down at him, lazy and content with his overload and the overall sensations. "Thank you," he trilled happily, feeling good between these two fields. Thundercracker nuzzled Farcry's neck and the pale Seeker laughed playfully as he slid off Skywarp and shifted towards his helm. "It seems your suitor doesn't like to share much."

Before Skywarp could fully grasp the statement, Thundercracker had leaned over him and claimed his mouth in a searing, demanding kiss. He gave a startled chirp that faded into a soft moan, and his hands went to Thundercracker's chassis. Their spikes came up against each other, Thundercracker's slick with transfluid and lubricant, Skywarp's still hard and wanting release, now that the hardline and its wonderful charge was gone. He bucked his hips up and pressed into the kiss.

He could teek in the aggressive possessiveness in Thundercracker's field, only for once it was directed at keeping Skywarp, rather than pushing him away. His moan turned into a keen of need as he felt Thundercracker lower himself to engulf Skywarp's spike at the same time he pinned the Seeker's purple hands and forearms to the soft berth under them.

Skywarp bucked and gasped, frame straining and arcing up. He moaned against Thundercracker's mouth as their hips ground together and what he felt for Thundercracker--for this _Order_ \--was something entirely unlike what he felt for the Vision. 

Protectiveness was there for both, and he knew he could one orn be loyal, but there was _more_ for Thundercracker. More, and enough to keep him pushing desperately into the other.

"Mine," Thundercracker rumbled hotly between their mouths as he squeezed around the spike lodged so deliciously inside him. "Going to claim you when I can."

Skywarp couldn't even answer that beyond the joyful trill and the way his spark jumped in his chest. 

_Thundercracker's._

Whether it was mate or Action, he would get to have this flier he'd grown so attached to.

SxSxSxSxSxSxSxSx S===================S SxSxSxSxSxSxSxS

Skywarp sat at the edge of the eyrie, bored and listless and a little worried. Thundercracker and Rico had been called out to help with a chemical meltdown in another district whose assigned Air Martials were overwhelmed by the emergency and needed all the help they could get. Target had told him that the disaster was contained, but nowhere near over, and off-duty Air Martials from all over the city-state were being recalled.

For him, it meant that Thundercracker was gone and he was bored. And worried. 

"Hey, kiddo." Swingshift appeared by his left wing, rubbing in soothing circles. "He'll be all right." 

"I know," Skywarp said, shrugging even as he leaned into the touch a bit. It was soothing, and it felt good to have company, even if it wasn't his preferred company.

"At least he should be home to recharge between shifts. It's better than when the military ones get deployed," Swingshift offered.

"Guess so," Skywarp said. 

Skydart came over. "Come sit with us," he said. "You're making me lonely just looking at you. Unless you'd like to join Valhalla and Kyrie, they're always happy for more." He cast a fond look over at the pair interfacing in the hot oil pool. 

Skywarp considered it for a few moments then shook his head and followed Swingshift and Skydart back to where they'd been lounging, joining Jericho, Target, Reve and Airstrike. He quickly found himself snuggled between the two warriors and deep in the warm fields of the others.

"Would you rather be out there with him?" Target asked.

Skywarp's wings gave a startled jump. "W-with TC?" he said, and paused to actually think about it. He was worried. He knew there was nothing to really be worried about, but his friend was out there in a potentially dangerous situation and he couldn't help it. And yes, he realized, he _did_ want to be out there, just in case something happened, and he could get Thundercracker out of trouble quickly. "Yeah," he admitted.

"There's a way you could be, you know," Jericho suggested quietly. "Trinemates, even mates, can be brought if they have a useful skill."

Skywarp nodded, wings canting uncertainly. "And they told me I could be free if I joined the military," he said, then scowled. "I don't want to. I just wanna keep TC safe."

"Military isn't bad, you know," Target said with Airstrike's agreeing hum. "You see how often we're home, and you'd be home more than we are given why they want you. No long deployments for you, just quick in and out missions."

Skywarp shifted uneasily, holding back all the reasons he didn't want to. He liked these mecha, he wanted them to like him, and insulting the city they loved wouldn't help with that. Instead he just said, "Guess so."

"Want to talk about what's troubling you about it?" Jericho offered. "We might have some insights for you."

Skywarp hesitated, then bit his lip and shook his head.

"Skywarp," Target reached to tip the young Seeker's face up so their optics met. "Whatever happened with your creators is done and gone. You don't have to tie your future to their past."

"Maybe I just don't wanna take orders from anyone," Skywarp said, shrugging his wings. "Not all Actions go into enforcement."

"No, but you need to, if you ever want to trine," Airstrike said in a gruff warning. "They aren't going to allow you out of custody until you do, and you can't trine in custody."

Skywarp's wings drooped and he curled against Target's chest, sighing and taking some comfort in the older Action's affectionate and protective field. It reminded him of his sire-Action. "I know," he said, and then because he didn't want to talk about it anymore, added, "Maybe I will."

"It won't be as bad as you think," Target promised. "Not with Thundercracker at your side and Farcry with your Seekerlings. As soft and gentle as he seems, I know that spark-line. They're fierce little things when defending their nest."

Skywarp brightened, wings lifting tellingly as he thought about Thundercracker and Farcry. "I can see that," he said, and sighed a bit dreamily. "And I bet he'll look amazing when he's carrying."

"What Vision _doesn't_?" Swingshift laughed playfully, causing Skydart to preen and Reve to trill for attention.

"The three of you would produce such lovely, gifted creations," Jericho smiled at the young adult. "I've never seen Thundercracker so possessive before. I believe he already thinks of you as his Action and is keyed up having to be ready to face challengers for you, even though no one can challenge for you. He was like that when Farcry first accepted his courting efforts too."

"He won't have to face challengers for me," Skywarp said, humming happily. 

"Did I hear someone lovely asking for me?" Aleno's voice came from behind. Skywarp looked up to see him kneeling down behind Reve, tilting his Vision's head back and drawing him into a deep kiss. 

"We were saying how enticing a carrying Vision is," Target said with a deep rumble as he watched his trinemates. 

"Ahh," Aleno said, pulling back to nuzzle his helm against Reve's before sliding down to join the group. "I agree entirely." He slid his hand up to Reve's hip with a possessive purr. "In fact I think I've missed it." 

"Aleno," Reve protested laughingly. "The _last_ thing we need is another clutch!"

"Now's the perfect time for it. The eyrie is empty. Thundercracker's final upgrades were centuries ago and he's going to trine soon," Aleno countered, using his wing to call Target over.

Jericho grinned at Swingshift and they both looked at Skydart before pouncing on their laughing mate. "Maybe Rico will agree to spark you up again," Jericho purred before pressing for a deep kiss.

Airstrike chuckled at the lovers and nudged Skywarp out of danger-range of over-protective Actions. "What are you inclined to do?"

"With Thundercracker?" Skywarp asked absently, most of his attention on the way Jericho's hand was playing over Skydart's spike. 

"Right now," Airstrike said with amusement. 

"Oh," Skywarp said, and rocked on his pedes. "Umm."

"Why don't I blow your circuits?" Airstrike slid a hand suggestively along Skywarp's wing.

"He's good at it," Target called out before Reve pulled him back down. 

Skywarp grinned. "Yeah all right," he said, and purred as the strokes immediately got more purposeful. "Oil pool?" he suggested, his favorite of the eyrie's luxuries.

"If the femmes will share," Airstrike grinned and pulled Skywarp into a hungry, demanding kiss as they stood.

"The more the better!" Kyrie called over to them. "I like my mechs _big_."

"All my hard work and look how fast that got her revved," Valhalla complained good-naturedly, nuzzling her Vision's neck, free hand on her spike. "Was I hearing something about more seekerlings over there?"

"Oh yes," Airstrike purred and all but pushed Skywarp into the large oil pool. "You can try to pry Jericho from his mates."

"Mmm, I'll pounce him later," Valhalla said as Kyrie's wings lifted with definite interest as she watched Airstrike. 

Skywarp turned once he was in and pressed against the older Action. Target and Airstrike's frames were nearly identical and it made finding the good spots much easier. He grinned at how easily the one at the base of the shoulder vents made Airstrike shiver. It felt good to cause pleasure, especially for mecha that were nice to him. Touching quickly escalated to more and Skywarp willingly sank into it. The other two soon joined in and he found himself pushing into Kyrie alongside Airstrike, Airstrike's hands on his wings and Valhalla's spike deep inside his valve. He was only very vaguely aware of later being settled in a berth alongside the others when it was all over and he drifted, purring against Airstrike's chest, into recharge with the sounds of soft interfacing in the background.

He wasn't sure how much later it was, but a tug on his wing roused him, then quickly pulled him to full awareness when it forced him to move to avoid pain. Airstrike's optics came online as Skywarp's did and the younger Action got up without the yelp of protest that he wanted to give, and then saw Thundercracker was the one with his wing in hand.

"You're back!" he said, field brightening with relief.

"Only for a few joors," Thundercracker said reluctantly as he tugged the now-willing Skywarp to his favored berth-spot. Exhaustion showed in every line of his frame, grief flickered through his field here and there and he smelled of chemicals, smoke, soot and death.

"Wanna go wash?" Skywarp asked, running his hands over Thundercracker's frame to check for damage. He couldn't help his relief when he found none.

"You'll help?" Thundercracker finally looked at Skywarp and let go of his wing with a flicker of apology though his field. "Too tired."

"Yeah, 'course," Skywarp said, nuzzling him. "C'mon." He took Thundercracker's hand and led him down to one of the lower levels, where one floor was devoted almost entirely to a washrack with a high ceiling and more than enough room to accommodate several Seekers' wingspans. It was empty but for them and Skywarp got Thundercracker under the hot, dissolving rinse and started on his wings.

The first moan was of relief, then pleasure, then more relief as Thundercracker sagged under the attention. He needed it more than he'd thought, though he could feel himself begin to drift into recharge and braced himself against the wall. He was distantly aware of Target and Rico joining them not long after, but they kept to themselves, and Thundercracker was happy to let them do so. 

Then Skywarp was leading him back to the roof, pausing when they got there. "With the flock, or somewhere else?" the Action asked, flicking his wings at the pile that had most of the flock and the berth that Thundercracker had been heading to before.

"With," Thundercracker answered, relieved and focused on the recharge he was in desperate need of and the Action he wanted to be close to.

"'Kay," Skywarp murmured and they made their way over and settled down together, Skywarp moving to rest over Thundercracker. He flared his wings out and tucked his head against the Order's neck. Airstrike's optics were a soft glow as he watched them. Thundercracker sank almost immediately into recharge, but not before Skywarp felt the pleasure-safe-content smooth out the last of the roughness from his field.


	4. The Price of Stubbornness

Thundercracker arrived to his appointment with Captain Jetsky a little early and very apprehensive. Skywarp had been in his care, and his flock's care, for just over a vorn and as far as Thundercracker was concerned, was suitable to trine with and be trusted as a general member of society, if not a terribly productive one.

The problem was, he didn't think that was what they wanted.

Relations between Vos and Tarn had been shaky at best for a few centuries, and outright hostile for the last quarter of that. He suspected it was even the cause of Skywarp's creator-trine's deactivation, but there were still few offered details on that event. Whatever Vos had offered Tarn to _not_ deactivate a Seeker who'd been responsible for the destruction of their central palaces and the deactivation of dozens or more citizens, they would want more of a return than an unproductive but law-abiding citizen.

Jetsky called him in and Thundercracker made his final report swiftly, pausing at the end to allow for questions from his ranking officer.

"But you don't think he will be enthusiastic about service in the military," Jetsky finally said, steepling his fingers together.

"Not one bit," Thundercracker said. "I have suggested it to him several times as an appropriate and enjoyable career for an untrined Action, but he responds very badly to the idea."

Jetsky nodded, and sighed. "I was afraid of that. If he won't volunteer on his own, it'll have to be to SpecOps."

"Isn't that ... illegal?" Thundercracker asked carefully. "To force him against his will into that kind of work?"

"Not if he isn't a citizen, which he isn't," Jetsky said with a shrug.

"Of course," Thundercracker said, nodding. "That brings me to another point I wanted to ask about. I have been thinking about trining with him for some time now, and I think I would like to. That would give him the same rights as a citizen."

"But you can't trine with him," Jetsky said. "Not legally, anyway."

Thundercracker frowned. "Why not?"

"Well he's barely half Seeker," Jetsky said. "Didn't I tell you? We ran those designations he gave you on his creators and finally tracked down who they were when they lived in Vos. It was his carrier--dominant Seeker coding, enough to trine, but there's a mix of rotor, Aerial, even grounder in his line. Skywarp seems to have gotten the frame and the coding almost completely, likely due to his sires, but it doesn't change that lineage. He's a mutt."

Thundercracker knew the abject horror showed on his frame as a vorn's worth of interactions was suddenly put into a radically different perspective. He wouldn't have _touched_ the creature if he'd know what it really was, much less allowed it anywhere near his flock.

Wouldn't have--

Wouldn't have _cared_ about it.

"Why not pull it as soon as you found out?" Thundercracker tried not to keen.

Jetsky gave him a surprised look. "Considering his dominant traits, I didn't think you would object so strongly. You're one of the most tolerant fliers in the force, that's one of the reasons you were so highly recommended for this assignment." He shrugged his wings. "Higher ups were _insistent_ that he be socialized, pulling him wasn't an option once you had a rapport."

"You were just going to reprogram it anyway!" Thundercracker bit back the hiss, but couldn't quite hide the intense betrayal he felt from his wings. He'd wanted to _trine_ with that thing, allowed it into his life, let it touch his Vision--! He grabbed control of himself before he could think of everything else, forcefully settling his processors. He x-vented. "Well, it doesn't matter now. It won't go military voluntarily."

"No," Jetsky sighed, shaking his head in disappointment. "That was the hope, since it would make for a longer term use of his abilities, but..." He drummed his fingers on the table. "Given your apparent feelings on the matter, would you like to return him to Martial custody?"

"Yes," Thundercracker said firmly. "I don't want that _thing_ in my flock's eyrie any longer than it must be."

"All right," Jetsky said, and started pulling up the custody forms that Thundercracker would need to authorize. "Please explain his options to him, _without_ letting him realize how much you don't like him. He'll take it better if he still trusts you."

"I understand, Sir," Thundercracker strained to keep himself professional even as he now doubted his long-term future in the Air Martials. It would be a long time before he trusted those above him again and it left a bitter layer in his field. "I will do my duty," he added as the forms were handed back.

"I expect you will," Jetsky said mildly. "Be back in a joor and we can still process him before you have to wait until tomorrow."

Thundercracker dipped his wings in acknowledgement and left, his processors in a fury that he knew showed by the way other Air Martials skitted out of his way. Even the calming effect of having air under his wings didn't do much to make him feel better. He felt betrayed, he knew he'd been lied to and it made him sick to his tanks. That he was about to condemn another being, even an illegal mutt, to being reprogrammed and sent on a suicide mission didn't sit well either.

As he banked to make a landing, he spotted Skywarp curled up with Target on one of the lounges. The two had grown close over time and it was a normal spot to find the young adult, but now Thundercracker saw it with completely new optics. He landed, and Skywarp's wings immediately lifted up in greeting. Target's did as well, but they didn't have the same excited cant that Skywarp did, and the mutt got up and bounded over to him. "You're back early!" it said.

"Yes," Thundercracker muted his disgust and anger to a point he could say it was from a more acceptable source, a place he was also disgusted and furious with. "Captain Jetsky said my time is up. Our time is up."

Skywarp's wings dropped sharply and he stopped where he was, excitement draining from his frame. "...What?" he said, and behind him, Target sat up straighter. 

"What happened?" the older Action asked.

"They've run out of patience. If Skywarp won't enlist willingly, they've decided he never will," Thundercracker could only shrug, all thoughts of mate and trine with Skywarp buried deeply enough they no longer existed. It hurt less that way. "They aren't wrong, I don't think," he looked at Skywarp, who winced.

"What about trining with him?" Target asked, his wings dipping sharply at the flinch Thundercracker gave. "That would protect him."

"Illegal," Thundercracker shook his helm. "Even if I could get the Trine Elect to agree, they paid far too much to let him be just a civilian."

That startled Target into silence, and Thundercracker knew his sire wouldn't fully believe that story. Once he talked it over with Aleno, they would likely figure out the truth, and realize what Thundercracker had brought into their flock. Thundercracker wasn't entirely sure he'd be welcomed back after this.

"...How long do I have to decide?" Skywarp asked. "I mean, maybe I could ... find something else they'd be okay with, or..."

"That's an argument you have to take up with them," Thundercracker said quietly as he shifted close to the mech they'd allowed to roam freely and fully fueled for several metacycles.

"Oh," Skywarp's wings quivered, but he never got the chance to finish the thought. A single strike dropped the unsuspecting mech into emergency stasis that Thundercracker quickly deepened to medical stasis.

"Thundercracker!" Target said, shocked, and the tone to his voice caught the others' attention, and Rico pulled away from the gathering to head over.

"He would have soon become a flight risk," Thundercracker said, looking down at the form. He didn't want to alert them to what Skywarp was, not yet. "Keeping him in custody is paramount."

"Just how much did they pay for him?" Target asked, nearly demanded as Rico came up behind him and placed his hands on his mate's wings, the pair frowning at Thundercracker. The flock wasn't high nobility, but they had noble status and wealth. "Is there anything we can do?"

"I don't know," Thundercracker admitted as he stasis cuffed the limp black frame. He hesitated, then his wings dropped. "You remember the news stories about all the terrorist acts in Tarn in the vorns before I got him? Including the royal palace."

"Yeah, why--" Target began, and then stopped suddenly. 

"...That's the terrorist," Rico said, looking at the limp frame uneasily.

"Yes," Thundercracker said quietly before hefting Skywarp up to fly him to the Air Martial high security prison. "I'll be back after I drop him off and fly off some of the stress."

* * *

When Thundercracker finally returned to the eyrie almost the entire flock was gathered, but Aleno, Rico, Jericho, Target, Swingshift and Valhalla were standing apart from the Visions and Thundercracker's clutchmates.

"How much have you worked out?" Thundercracker asked, his wings drooped in abject misery.

Aleno frowned. "Why would it be illegal for you to trine with him? There aren't many reasons for that, and none of them are good."

Thundercracker's wings dropped further and trembled. "It's not a Seeker," he whispered. "Its sires were, but its carrier ... there's _grounder_ there."

Six sets of wings jumped up in startled twitches as the older adults all looked at each other, having a rapid, silent conversation before Aleno turned back. "And you only just found out? They hid this from you?"

Thundercracker nodded weakly. "I found out after I gave my report this morning, when I mentioned I was considering trining...." he couldn't continue, his tanks churning hard to cope with the mech he knew being the _thing_ he was told that mech was. "The Captain played it off like it was _nothing_ , like he was surprised he hadn't told me," he picked up, trembling in impotent anger that kept turning inward.

Valhalla broke from the rest and came forward to wrap her arms around the young Order, holding him tightly. "We're just glad you didn't trine with it before you found out," she said, stroking Thundercracker's wings. "They shouldn't have kept something like _that_ from you. It was stupid and reckless."

Blue wings pressed into the touch and Thundercracker began to tremble, vents hitching as he accepted the comfort and sank into it. He tried to speak several times, but only static came out as his field reached for the comfort of a creator much as when he was a youngling and seriously damaged for the first time.

His now clearly visible distress drew the others around him and the Visions were not far behind, his carrier easily making his way through the others to touch his wings. 

"You are safe, and the flock is whole," Aleno said firmly. 

"You did your duty, and performed admirably," Rico added. "It is all they could want."

"It might be more than I can give," Thundercracker finally managed, deeply distressed and humiliated by the truth. "I don't know if I can wear the Air Martial insignia and not feel ashamed of it. I know I'll never trust the officers again."

"They trusted _you_ ," Rico said, and cupped Thundercracker's face in his hands. "In the end, they trusted you to bring him to heel. You know how badly we need skills like that."

"And I failed." Thundercracker managed to meet Rico's optics. "He's only good as a civilian, and that's not what they paid for."

Aleno sighed, running his hands soothingly over Thundercracker's wings. "It's hardly your fault what they gave you to work with."

"And it is their fault for not telling him what was relevant to do his job," Reve hissed, his anger close to that of his creation as he came up to rub Thundercracker's wings and guide the entire flock towards the largest berth. There was little more to say and they all knew it. Now it was time to put their hurting member in the middle of the flock and fill him with the reminder of what he did have, not what he'd lost.

* * *

Thundercracker stayed in the eyrie under the concerned and watchful gaze of his flock for several orns, never being left alone and usually surrounded by at least three at any given time. While officially he was taking a well-deserved break from a vorn-long 42/32/2304 duty shift, unofficially both flock and Captain realized he was trying to decide if the betrayal he felt was too much to even go back to his duties again.

By the time Target had nudged him to a relatively private moment in the hot oil pool, Thundercracker was still undecided but beginning to mull over other things that disturbed him at least as much. Things such as whether it was right to deny a mecha with full Seeker coding citizenship, or the right to trine.

"How are your winds?" Target asked, field warm and open. "You seem unsteady."

"I had no idea this assignment would turn everything sideways," Thundercracker sighed. "It's not a mecha's fault if it separates with full Seeker coding, yet they are punished for it."

Target chirred in mournful agreement, head tilted back as he looked up at the sky. "Do you know if there's a way to find out what's happening to him?" he asked. "I want to see if I can help him."

Thundercracker's wings sank even as he twitched a bit at Target's use of 'he' rather than 'it' for the non-Seeker. Both Target and Rico had continued to use the improper pronouns. "Likely, but I know what they have planned, and I expect it's already happened. H-it was to be handed over to SpecOps for reprogramming."

Target winced, wings drooping, and didn't say anything for several kliks. "I really thought you had found your Action in him," he finally said, looking at his creation. "Maybe more."

"So had I," Thundercracker murmured. "Trined with me, I'm sure I could have gotten him to run missions in a few more vorns. I thought I'd be able to convince them to give me the time. It never occurred to me it was anything other than a full Seeker. He _acted_ like one, teeked like one, has the coding." He shivered. "I _liked_ it!"

Target watched him for a few moments, then heaved an x-vent. "I'm going to tell you something," he said. "If I found out today that Rico was more grounder than Seeker ... I wouldn't care. That's true for anyone in my flock. I know it's not the right thing to say, but I wouldn't care. We're more than just lineages."

"The law says otherwise," Thundercracker's tone was as mixture of fact and frustration. "If Rico found out he was more grounder than Seeker, I don't expect his spark would see the dawn. Mine wouldn't. We're Air Martials. Our _function_ is to uphold the law, and to believe it in completely."

"You'd be surprised, young one," Target murmured, and sighed. "You make a thing as awful as they're told they are, and they aren't gonna talk about it. Not if no one can tell what they are, anyway. If Skywarp had been given up as a sparkling, no one would be the wiser." He shrugged his heavily-armored wings. "There are worse things to be than grounder, is what I'm getting at. There are worse things _he_ could have been. Not that it matters now."

"Worse than a grounder?" Thundercracker pressed at the part he couldn't fathom.

"They're out there," Target said heavily. "Not that you'd believe me if I told you." He wrapped an arm around his creation's shoulders, touching their helms together. "I hope you never have to see anything worse than a grounder."

"I'm an Air Martial. Why wouldn't I be trained to deal with something worse?" Thundercracker didn't move, thankful for the contact even as he was disturbed by the idea that there was something _bad_ out there he didn't know about.

Target chuckled. "Oh, you're trained well enough, youngling. Don't you worry about that. You just haven't seen enough yet."

Thundercracker relaxed at that, trusting his creator that had outlived at least one previous trine, and it was quietly thought by some that there had been more than one. "If trining with something other than a Seeker isn't wrong, why are the laws so strict about it?" he asked quietly.

"Religion, dogma, bigotry, tradition," Target sighed. "If you can name it, someone's probably used it as a reason. His field caressed Thundercracker's with some concern. "Don't go saying things like that to just anyone, all right?

Thundercracker nodded, his field replying with understanding. "I won't." He hesitated, then plunged forward, never able to resist _understanding_ something that didn't feel right. "Have you known such a trine?"

_Were you_ part _of such a trine?_ was unspoken, but very much there.

"They exist," Target said, smiling for a moment before it faded. "Do you really think it's too late to help him?"

"Yes," Thundercracker sighed, regretting his reaction even though he knew it wouldn't have made a difference. "They wouldn't have wasted any time once his fate was decided. Even if they waited until his energon burned off enough to make him safe to transport, he'd have been gone orns ago. None of us has an in to SpecOps to get anything other than that he was transferred to them."

Target nodded, wings drooped. "Poor kid," he murmured. "Maybe it'll be better for him this way, not remembering."

"He won't have long to suffer either way," Thundercracker said quietly. "First mission is likely to be his last."

Target's engines dropped into a low growl and his hands clenched into fists, wings flicking through emotions. 

_Protect-wrong-flock-protect._

"He's flock," the Action muttered, almost to himself. "This is _wrong_." 

"It is _not_ flock," came Aleno's snarl from behind, and Target cringed. "It is not Seeker, it is not flock, and I won't hear any more of it. Not in _my_ eyrie, do you understand?"

"I understand," Target growled, rising. He squeezed Thundercracker's shoulder and then chirred to summon his mate. "Not in your eyrie." He canted his wings in respect of his Order's command, before joining Rico as they both took off, leaving the eyrie.

"It's too late, isn't it?" Rico asked quietly once they had enough air between them and anyone who might hear.

"Yes," Target snarled, trying to keep the budding aggression under control. "Knew it would be, I just wanted to get Thundercracker to _think_ a bit."

"Did it work?" Rico flew just close enough to his mate for the support in his field to be felt, well familiar with Target's violent maneuvers when he got angry without a target to take it out on.

"Think so." Target flipped into a tight roll that Rico followed easily, diving sharply and banking before settling even again. "He's got good processors up there."

"He does. A good spark too. I nudged him to be an Air Martial because of both. I hope this doesn't do as much damage to his career as I think it's going to." He felt silent for two more tight rolls.

"If it damages his career, it'll be his fault for letting it," Target said. "He should stay where he is. We need more rational Air Martials."

"We do. But would you remain under a command you felt betrayed you and you could no longer trust?" Rico asked quietly. "He's not the only one questioning his career choices right now."

"I _have_ stayed under a command I felt betrayed me," Target said, and sighed. "But he's an Order. We'll see what happens." He flipped around and came up under his mate, nudging their bellies together. "You really thinking about leaving?" Concern brushed through his field. 

"Yes," Rico said quietly. "Will I? Likely not. Will I be a less effective Martial for not trusting my commanders? Definitely. Will I rip Jetsky's wing off for 'forgetting' to tell my mate's creation what he was taking into his flock? Pit yes."

"Good," Target rumbled. "Glitch deserves it. This could have been handled so much better. He didn't need to go through that so young."

"No, he didn't," Rico grumbled in agreement. "Do you want to stay in my eyrie, or with your brother for a few orns?"

"Let's stay with my brother," Target said, and angled their flight path just slightly to start them heading away from the noble district, into the less affluent districts. "Thank you."

Rico brushed their fields together warmly, supportive and caring, and let him fly as long as he needed to. 


	5. Skywarp's Fate

Skywarp had moments of clarity, brief windows in time when he remembered who he was and why he was here. He also remembered that he wasn't even supposed to have those moments, though he wasn't sure how. He just had a sense that they'd done something and he _wasn't_ supposed to remember who he was. Not ever. 

And in those moments, he could remember what he'd done.

He hated the clarity. He existed in a perpetual state of patience and obedience, a serenity that whatever he was ordered to do was right, and so there was nothing at all wrong in his life. The clarity brought him memories of decades of waiting and listening and acting. He could remember calmly teleporting to his certain death--only to escape again. 

When the clarity came, all he could do was hold on and try to survive until it was gone. They never found the clarity, because his frame was still theirs to command and activate and hold. 

And so it went on.

A reactor core.

Next to Tarn's spark housing.

A war-room full of generals and politicians.

A military barracks.

He usually planted or dropped bombs, but sometimes he retrieved things, or Seekers.

The worst was when the clarity came in the middle of a mission, and he could watch himself, distantly, teleporting wherever they'd told him. Every single time he tried to change the vectors but they stayed locked in, and then he would scream in his own processors as blasters leveled at him, or the chain-reaction explosion of a factory started all around him. 

Somehow, he could turn the teleporting around and jump back out in a matter of nanokliks. He'd learned how to drop a bomb mid-warp so that it was out of his hands by the time he got there. He was their miracle weapon, but one that they saw as disposable, and it terrified him. 

He didn't want to die.

Then one orn he warped into the room to meet his handler and entered freefall. Hard coded reflex warped him high into the sky to look down and there were only smoldering ruins. Not just of the building he'd been ordered to return to, but everywhere he could see. All of the city seemed decimated, smoldering, melted and death-gray in the center.

He floated lazily, going through backup and emergency protocols one by one, searching for one to match this situation, and came up empty. 

So he floated, and waited for his handler to find him and tell him what to do.

When his energy reserves reached 20%, the same part of him that went without hesitation to his death kicked orders into his active processor and he obeyed without question.

Find energon.

Find survivors.

In that order.

So he killed his thrusters and plummeted down, only engaging in the last moments to stop the free fall from crushing him so he could land and look around at the wreckage. 

In the time he'd been floating, some of the smoke had cleared, but the fumes of superheated metal were still thick in the air and he walked carefully, following the steady rote commands to search for fuel. He found it in the form of deactivated frames, of which there were plenty, and it only took a handful before he was able to switch to the next command.

He rapidly rescanned his memories of what he'd gone over looking for fuel to check if he'd walked by any survivors, then sent out a ping asking for anyone to ping him back. A few answered and he walked to them, only to rapidly scan and assess and decide they wouldn't survive long enough without expert medical care to qualify as "survivors." 

He kept walking, pinging every time he reached a new area, finding either nothing or survivors that weren't worth the time and energon he could spend on them. He had emergency medical protocols and some supplies, both for his own frame and survivors or prisoners he might be sent to find as a mission, but he could only do so much.

Finally a ping was answered that didn't lead him to a dead end and he came upon a medium blue Seeker who seemed to be lacking in significant damage, but he was holding onto another one that would not last many more kliks.

"My Vision," the silver face with black helm looked up to him, pleading with his soot-covered wings to save his trinemate.

Skywarp took one more scan--he was, after all, supposed to help and helping save the injured one would do that--and canted his wings in a simple negative. "He is unrecoverable, and the newspark protoform is too underdeveloped to exist outside his frame." Regardless, he stepped forward and knelt down. This situation fell within the parameters for emotional comfort for a survivor. The blue Seeker was undamaged enough to be worth the effort.

The mech keened and his engines gave a subsonic roar that was in no way natural. It caused everything in range to vibrate and tremble and caused Skywarp's systems to skip several beats as panic hit and was quashed. In that time the carrier had grayed fully. The newspark wouldn't be far behind.

Another screaming keen of grief and the rumble of those engines caused part of a building standing nearby to collapse towards them. Skywarp looked up towards the disturbance and decided that the emotionally compromised flier wasn't thinking straight enough to move himself out of harm's way. He took the mech's hands in his own, and jumped through the air out of the path of the falling debris. "Stop," he said, his voice an unnatural calm that didn't mirror the strange skipping anxiety in his processors. He rubbed his thumbs over the backs of the other's hands. "You could hurt yourself. You can't do that."

"My trine is gone!" the mech keened, oblivious to the debris, the jump through space, though his engine rumbles died down as he clutched onto Skywarp. "My flocks ... gone." He shook in Skywarp's grip. "My trine...."

Skywarp teeked carefully, but all he could sense from this mech was that he was violently and freshly untrined. The losses had been too recent for his position signal to start broadcasting again. He was either an Order or an Action, which meant there was a chance that Skywarp could help with that emotional need. 

Helping survivors was his top priority now. Protocol demanded it. 

"I am also untrined," he said.

Something seemed to click with the grieving mech and he locked onto Skywarp with the kind of sharp focus that reminded him of his handler. That brought his training-coding into the mix and he suddenly hoped this somehow familiar Seeker was an Order and would be his new handler. He would have a leader again and somehow both spark and processors leapt at the prospect.

"Action. You're an Action."

The grip on him tightened and a hard kiss was pressed to his mouth, desperate and full of need, aware it was not invited and might not be wanted, but hurting too much not to take what might be on offer.

Trining, even with just one, would help this flier stabilize through the grief and better his odds of lasting through the next orns, so Skywarp kissed back. "I can be your Action," he spoke against the other's mouth.

"I can be your Order," the other replied, his field thick with grief but now with an undercurrent of wanting to survive. "Thundercracker," he introduced himself before another kiss as his frame relaxed and engines finally silenced their unnatural rumble. His voice was still broken with inexpressible sorrow. "I am Thundercracker."

That statement, paired with the belief that Thundercracker was acting under his own free will and desire, with no intention of coercing or hurting him, activated coding deep within Skywarp's processor. Thundercracker's designation, appearance, teek, wings, were all recorded in the finest detail and this flier was given a certain _Importance_ that Skywarp had never experienced before. Not even his handler had been so significant. 

The clarity came. Memories came, and Skywarp, still heavily dosed by the SpecOps protocols that dictated his every move, looked calmly at his Order. "I am Skywarp," he said, and in his processors, he struggled to get out.

Thundercracker gasped, teeked of intense shock and then _focus_.

"You _survived!_ "

Joy, shame, relief, regret, thanks and shock all tumbled through Thundercracker's frame. The positive emotions were quickly winning out though, and the grip became warmer. The next kiss held real passion in it, and the frame against his shuddered with relief.

"I have acted within acceptable parameters," Skywarp said, outwardly unaffected. "We should search for other survivors."

Thundercracker's wings wilted. "Skywarp ... do you remember me, from  before?"

Skywarp cocked his head. "You are Thundercracker, fifth creation of Aleno, Target, and Rave. Serial 8882519ATRBeq5.13. Major in the Air Martials, currently in command of the Industrial Sector. There is no before, I am an agent." He softened his voice into a comforting trill. "I am here to help you."

Thundercracker nodded, hurting but determined to survive and both showed in his field. Having even a partial trine was helping him. "Right. Find survivors, find resources ... do you have any contacts in other cities?"

"No," Skywarp said simply. "Additionally I have no protocols in place for this kind of situation, other than to help as many survivors as I can and wait for an appropriately credentialed handler."

"I understand," Thundercracker seemed to focus more. "Fly on my left and scan left. I'll scan right. We need to look for survivors and for intact energon stores. What is your energy level?"

"Eighty," Skywarp answered, teeking the other carefully. "Are you emotionally stable enough?"

"I can do my duty," Thundercracker said firmly. "When that is done I will deal with what has happened."

"All right," Skywarp said easily and helped Thundercracker up to his pedes. The clarity was stronger as he moved and he wanted to scream but his frame simply stood, leapt into the air, and followed Thundercracker as they flew through the city.

It was well past dark when they settled in for a cube each they'd dug out from a ruined cafe. The other found survivors, there were six of them now, were all huddled together in a relatively stable room that had once been a grounder's hovel. There were bits and pieces that said it had been a home, but with the owner grayed and pulled out it would suit the small group once more. Six Seekers, but not a full trine among them. Most were Actions from the military. Their heavy armor and higher flight patterns during the assault had left them alive but without trines, flocks or mates. One still had his Order, but not a Vision was among them.

For Thundercracker, it visibly hurt and he was beginning to process what had happened, yet his focus remained on the strong warm frame against his. The petting of his hands was absent, territorial and just a bit shaky and his field fluctuated wildly. Yet under and through it all was an ever-growing strength and resolve to survive. It was all any of them had. They were the numb survivors whose sparks hadn't been lost in a break or from sheer grief from seeing the photon torpedo hit Vos's very center, leveling the city. There were almost certainly other pockets of survivors elsewhere in the ruins, but they were too tired and drained to look or even hope. 

Thundercracker offlined his optics, trying not to remember Farcry's scream and the way Sound Barrier had fallen in defense of their Vision. His processor was trying to reject the trining to Skywarp--it was too much, too soon, and Skywarp was clearly not in full possession of his processors, which should in and of itself invalidate the trining. 

But he couldn't know that this wasn't a new mech created from a wiped and retrained processor, and that was helping him hold onto the new, unstable trine bond. An Action had offered him stability and protection; to survive, he would take it. He would deal with the consequences later. 

Skywarp's field was steady against him, responding perfectly appropriately but no more. Thundercracker knew everyone else recognized his rank. It was blazoned on his wings for just that reason. He knew they all recognized that his Action hadn't been his Action this morning and were judging him for it. Even for their kind, this trining had been soon after the loss. The simple fact that no one had challenged him for the nominal control of this proto-flock, and he knew Windsheer had the status to do so with little effort, meant that as unacceptable as his actions and display no doubt were, they didn't feel any more fit and were glad he was taking the lead so they didn't have to.

Strong black hands stroked one of Skywarp's dataports, silently asking to hardline, to talk in private without leaving the scared, damaged and strained proto-flock that they found themselves in charge of.

Skywarp accepted automatically--it seemed like he had taken Thundercracker in place of his handler and responded to him with the perfect obedience that would be expected, port spiraling open and wings canting in a standard affirmative. The fingers that took his data cable and plugged it into Thundercracker's were gentle but knowing, the touch pleasant. The electronic handshake and access determination automatic, and then _he_ was inside Skywarp's processors.

Processor to processor, Thundercracker wasn't nearly as stable as he let on, but he was still strong and relieved to be in what he felt was a safe place. But what he saw and felt was truly bizarre and unlike anything he'd ever experienced in a hardline before. Skywarp's processors _looked_ open but there was nothing there but a vast emptiness. There were no security layers, all the way down to the core. Everything was perfectly neat and ordered, the most perfect and starkly sterile processor he'd ever seen. Even young sparklings weren't like this.

As disturbing as it was, it helped the trine coding settle in him to be that sure that the mech he'd once known was completely gone and this one was his Action. ~Do you have any thoughts on where to go or what to do after we finish searching?~

~If other options are not forthcoming, reporting to the first located Vosian agent would be the best option,~ Skywarp said. ~Until then, surviving and helping other Seekers survive.~

Thundercracker paused, trying to translate that into what it meant for him, taking a moment. Once he had a handle on it, or at least hoped he did, he began to present search grids and patterns, six variants in all, and nudged at Skywarp to rank them and why.

They were taken in, run through a precise and emotionless strategy and protocol simulator, and returned to Thundercracker in order and with notations for why and ideas on how to improve, and how that would change their ranking. ~This is satisfactory,~ Skywarp said, nodding in approval and cuddling Thundercracker warmly. The blue Seeker purred softly and snuggled into the warmth and protection being offered while he processed the notes and rankings, then selected the one that held the highest ranking after modifications.

~We'll begin this pattern after recharge,~ Thundercracker decided. His processors briefly flickered to interfacing, claiming a bit of pleasure in this nightmare, but it was quickly discarded in favor of the snuggling and being held that was currently happening. It felt good to be held, to know his Action was guarding him, and he felt himself slipping into recharge faster than he anticipated.

Skywarp stayed online next to him, faithfully holding and guarding his Order and handler. 

* * *

Thundercracker wasn't unused to dreaming, strange sensations and realities as the processor sorted and organized new data, but this one felt ... different. He was aware, for one thing. Or at least he thought he might be. He was in Skywarp's processor, looking into the strange whitewashed void that was so unlike anything he'd ever seen before ... but there was a bright spot. A datastream that stood out from everything else and looked more like a normal processor than anything else he'd seen in here. It looked like actual _personality_.

Hopeful and afraid all at once, he dived for it, trying to latch onto this filament of a _mech_ inside his Action and pull it fully into the open.

The shriek filled his processor and suddenly, Skywarp began to collapse from within and Thundercracker watched in horror as coding began to corrupt and corrode all around him, dissolving away. There was a panicked presence that grabbed him and held on as everything crumbled away. Thundercracker tried to sever the connection and run--he recognized a self-destruct--but something was holding him there. 

And then everything settled, and Thundercracker startled online, on full alert and half panicked, staring at a wide-opticked Skywarp. 

"I--I--" Skywarp stammered, clutching him tightly.

Thundercracker clutched back just as tightly, and no one really took any notice because everyone had plenty of reason to boot up suddenly, half freaked out of their processor.

"Skywarp?" Thundercracker trilled softly, then realized that they were still hardlined. ~You okay in there?~

~I--um--I th-think so,~ Skywarp said, badly shaken. ~I don't think I'm supposed to be here.~

~From the self-destruct I witnessed, no, you should not be. You are, however, and I'm glad you are.~ Thundercracker hesitated, uneasy but needing to ask the question. ~How much do you recall of what Agent Skywarp did?~

~He--that's the thing that--I'm not sure,~ Skywarp said, and looked around. ~Where am I?~

~This is what's left of Vos,~ Thundercracker murmured. ~You ... it ... found me as I held my fading Vision, our Action already gray. It offered to be my Action. I couldn't say no.~

~Oh.~ Skywarp looked at the other recharging Seekers. ~How long has it been...?~

~Since they took you away? Six hundred and nine vorns,~ Thundercracker supplied. ~Since Vos deactivated? Less than an orn. You know ... I can't hold you to a trine bond you weren't yourself for.~

~I think I need some time,~ Skywarp said quietly. He felt and sounded shell-shocked. ~I'm not sure...um, Vos _deactivated?_ ~

~One of the missiles hit the core of the city. She's _gone_. Gray. I didn't believe anything could kill a metrotitan, but this did. Her screaming hit everyone, everything in range. Never experienced anything like it.~ Thundercracker babbled before catching himself. ~You have time. You have yourself. I can't hold you to the bond even if I was inclined to try and force it. I ... I would still like to trine with you. I wanted to before everything went wrong and you were given to _them_.~

In those glyph-thoughts were hints that things had gone far, far more wrong than Skywarp just being taken away, but the Action was far too dazed to fully comprehend it. ~The flock...?~ he asked.

~Gone. All gone as far as I know. Maybe some survivors. Target's hard to take down.~ Thundercracker trembled. ~My flock ... they're all gone.~

Skywarp made a short, keening sound and his wings shook with distress. It roused some of the others but they only looked on quietly, too emotionally drained to offer any kind of comfort other than empathy. ~Who did it?~

~Tarn. That much I know. I saw the missile come in. A lot of those in the air survived the blast, but didn't survive their landing.~ Thundercracker held him tightly, the loss of his unit, his officers, nearly as hard as the loss of his flocks. ~Tarn finally did it.~

Skywarp moaned and held on just as tight. ~Are they gonna come back?~

~Their army isn't close. We'll see them long before they arrive,~ Thundercracker tried to reassure them both. ~They won't waste another missile on this, if they even have one. Photon torpedoes are not easy to build.~

~Okay,~ Skywarp said, as some of the fright eased. His thoughts felt strangely disjointed and not altogether _there_ but he was calmer. ~I saw your Vision? You trined?~

~Farcry,~ Thundercracker supplied. ~Sound Barrier was our Action, the newspark Farcry was carrying was Brace. He was our first. All gone.~

~I'm sorry,~ Skywarp said quietly, wings drooping as memories of the Vision flashed by. He'd spent time with Farcry, and it felt like so much less time that what Thundercracker had told him, and had even thought he might end up trining as the pair's Action. ~Is it good to trine again so soon?~

~Under normal conditions, no. Not this soon. This is as far from normal as anything can get. I don't have a flock to support me. The rank on my wings means nothing without Vos.~ Thundercracker trembled. ~No, I shouldn't try to trine again so soon. It's simply the best way to survive. You're free, you know. I've seen too much for the trine coding to remain intact. You weren't yourself when you offered.~

Skywarp's wings gave a startled flick as he looked up at Thundercracker, and felt something _break_ in his processors, an unfamiliar connection he hadn't even really noticed before but that now felt incredibly painful. ~But--~ And suddenly Thundercracker even _looked_ different. Skywarp could tell he was the same mech, but there had been a kind of _significance_ there that was suddenly absent. ~That was--~

~The break,~ Thundercracker said miserably. ~I'm sorry. I didn't know you weren't in charge of yourself. I just wanted to survive.~

~...Oh,~ Skywarp said, sounding just as awful as Thundercracker felt. He cuddled up to the Order and tucked his helm in against his neck. ~I liked it. Can we do it again? Did it break just because you said so?~

~Mostly,~ Thundercracker murmured. ~It was unstable in both of us, so that was enough to break it. A stable trine bond is much more difficult to break. You really want to be my Action?~

~Yeah, please,~ Skywarp said. ~It felt better. I want to make sure you're safe.~

~And you like how it feels,~ Thundercracker nuzzled him. ~It should be done with a spark merge....~ he hesitated at doing so here with Seekers they didn't know.

~To make sure,~ Skywarp said, and offered a half smile. ~Target taught me a lot. I can move us.~

~Not far,~ Thundercracker said. ~I want to stay close to the flock in case of trouble.~ Outwardly, he chirped a quiet notification of _not to worry_ and then felt himself pulled through the air. 

Skywarp immediately looked around the new space, scanning rapidly and determining structural integrity and security, as well as ensuring that they were alone in here. It looked like another ruined grounder's residence, and then Skywarp clicked in satisfaction and looked back at Thundercracker. The blue Seeker finished his own glance around and then pressed against Skywarp, the friction of their frames a delicious pleasure. "'Face first, or merge first?" he trilled.

"You ... wanna 'face?" Skywarp sounded surprised and concerned, and his cockpit split down the middle. That concern dump a ton of ice on Thundercracker's fledgling desire and his cockpit shifted aside.

"Only if you wanted to," Thundercracker said quietly as their spark chambers were exposed.

"I thought you would be too sad," Skywarp said, and nuzzled against him, bringing their chests flush. Spark energy licked out and they gasped in unison as it drew closer in the first stages of a shallow merge.

Thundercracker opened up his half of the hardline a bit more, inviting Skywarp to understand how grief and pleasure mingled in Seeker culture. A lost trinemate or flockmate was grieved by the survivors, pleasure used to reinforce the desire to continue and strengthen the remaining bonds, physical, coded and social. Though Skywarp wasn't trine or flock to Farcry or Sound Barrier, he was both to Thundercracker now, so Thundercracker sought comfort with him.

Skywarp trilled his comprehension and willingness and desire to help his new Order in any way possible and opened his spark up, and Thundercracker was suddenly in a place that felt far older than the processors he had been communicating with. Over the hardline, he'd been speaking with a young adult, eager for adventure and love and excited to live. 

The spark felt different. Older, definitely showing those six hundred lost vorns that the processor was only distantly aware of. ~I thought about you,~ Skywarp whispered in the aged voice. 

~I'm sorry for what I did to you,~ Thundercracker shivered, the grief at his own immateriality flaring bright between them before it settled where it belonged. ~I could never forget what we had, what I encouraged you to hope for. I know now that I loved you, even then. Even through the anger of learning your heritage. I shouldn't have reacted like that, but it hurt. It hurt so much.~

As he spoke, his memories of that time surfaced, and Skywarp saw the decisive blow that had knocked him offline, and how this flier had just handed him over. Betrayal flared bright, and confusion, followed by anger, and then sadness. ~That's why my sires left with my carrier, then,~ he finally said, fully comprehending, for the first time, the cause of their deactivation and the loss of his youth and so much of his life. But he didn't pull away from the merge or even close himself off.

~If the Seeki of the trine had been the Action, it might have been tolerated. The Order less so, but perhaps eventually accepted. And it would be expected that neither contribute to any creations, in spark or protoform. But the Vision, no. For the Vision not to be a Seeker means none the creations of the trine would be Seekers. It isn't tolerable to society,~ Thundercracker expressed his shame silently for the culture and cruelty he'd never thought of before that orn. ~Unless they had the credits and contacts to pay off having the Seeki's records changed to say he was a Seeker, trining with a Seeki Vision was a crime they'd likely be quietly executed for. You aren't a citizen, you aren't a Seeker, you aren't anything of value to society by law. We'll need to lie, at least a little, when you are formally introduced.~

Skywarp nodded quickly. ~I understand,~ he said. ~No one ever noticed before so no one should now. That's why you didn't trine with me then.~

~That is why no one could protect you. A Seeker, no matter where they separate, is a citizen of Vos. That would have protected you from being taken like you were. My flock could have intervened. But once they knew you weren't a Seeker, that you are only Seeki, you were no longer a citizen and you had no rights.~ Thundercracker signed even as his spark snuggled closer, relieved and very grateful that Skywarp forgave him the horrific mistake that changed both their lives. ~The easiest lie, I believe, would be to say your creator-Order carried you. Unusual, a scandal in many social circles, but it means you can admit to your full creator-flock if directly asked. Just your carrier is changed. Formally, legally, the Seeki isn't a sire, but socially he would be. Only your full legal designation glyph and designation would change, and only fractionally.~

~Umm...~ Skywarp took a klik to sort that all out, and Thundercracker watched the information uptake through the open hardline and witnessed a truly bizarre and inefficient method of organization, but one that was executed with unbelievable speed. ~Okay. If anyone asks. Who's gonna ask?~

~Eventually Windsheer and any other noble we meet. Whoever organizes a list of survivors as we try to piece society back together. Any time you must sign a legal document. That's about it. All other times your familiar designation, the one you've always used around me, is fine.~

Skywarp nodded rapidly and absorbed the information that Thundercracker sent over, placing it here and there without any semblance of order. When the scattered processor finished and relaxed into the background again, the spark moved forward. ~Missed you,~ it murmured, and then sighed in contentment at the feeling of this flier's spark touching him. ~Missed having a flock. Be my Order, I want to be your Action.~

~Yes. Be my Action. I want to be your Order,~ Thundercracker moaned deeply, his own desires for this long predating his original trining with Sound Barrier. ~We can rebuild a flock, rebuild our lives, rebuild our city to something that isn't the scrambled stupidity that cost me you the first time.~

Skywarp pulled Thundercracker close and surrounded him with all his strength and willingness to protect and sacrifice, desires that felt new even to him but somehow made sense as the shattered feeling in the back of his processor mended and smoothed. ~This is trine,~ he said, watching as the break reversed and Thundercracker became _Order_ again.

~Yes,~ Thundercracker melted into the embrace, grateful and affectionate in his trust that his Action would protect, even as he promised to lead well and create a home eyrie to be proud of.

~Like it,~ Skywarp murmured, pressing into a kiss, calm and steady here between their sparks. ~We'll survive.~ Thundercracker trilled back to him as they melted together and sank down, unified and certain of that fact, and the merge blossomed into overload that was still not as good as having each other.

* * *

The small flock were all roused the next morning by a powerful comm that came with location coordinates that were near the outer edge of the city. It promised supplies and medical aid, though no matter how hard Thundercracker tried, he couldn't trace an identifiable source for the signal. It was the only long-range comm to have made it through--all others attempted were corrupted by the lingering background radiation of the missile, and only scrambled data fragments ever came across. 

The six others all looked at Thundercracker.

"We go," he decided. "If it's Tarn, they'll sweep the city anyway."

Six sets of wings canted hesitantly back at him and Skywarp's engines rumbled nervously but they all headed outside and flew together. Once they were airborne, they began seeing more and more small proto-flocks around them, all headed for the same coordinates. 

They landed in the middle of a demolished warehouse, the wide collapsed roof making for a decently large gathering space. In the middle of it were heavily built grounders, the center most a dark slate color and standing above the rest. He was handing out cubes of energon to the Seekers who approached, the others were holding much needed supplies--oil, clean cloth, self-repair tools, what looked like mineral additives, and more that Thundercracker couldn't make out. A mech with medic's marks was scanning a Seeker who was missing half of one wing.

"They aren't from Tarn," Skywarp said, startling those who heard him. "What?" he looked around. "They aren't."

Thundercracker nodded and stepped forward to the large one with energon while Skywarp went to collect some cleaning supplies. "Seven in my flock." He kept his wings carefully respectful. These grounders were offering aid. It was not a time to rub it in that Seekers were superior. At the moment they needed aid and that meant being respectful of those offering it.

The grounder smiled warmly at him as he pulled out seven cubes. They scanned as high-octane, suitable for a flight frame, and were full. "We will remain here for as long as the city needs, with more supplies coming in from Kaon," the grounder said. "Do you have any who are injured or carrying?"

"Thank you," Thundercracker replied as he accepted the cubes. "Only minor damage, no carriers. Have any come in?" he asked, as hope, desperate hope, lifted his wings a bit.

"Only one," the grounder said, offering Thundercracker a sad smile full of quiet understanding as wings sank, then lifted with determination. 

"That is one more than I knew of when I booted," Thundercracker forced himself to think positively. "If Kaon can spare any construction or rescue trained mecha, the best chance of buried survivors will be towards the outlying districts. It's possible to survive a decaorn if they aren't bleeding out." He hesitated. "I'm Thundercracker. Who are you?"

"Megatron," the grounder answered, and his optics focused on Thundercracker with interest as wings flicked outward in recognition-shock. His hands kept moving to hand energon cubes to the Seekers who continued to come up to him. "That is an Air Martial insignia?"

"Yes," Thundercracker settled his wings and handed six of the cubes off to Skywarp to deliver. "I was Captain of the 8th District." He glanced around. "It looks like I'm the ranking survivor so far."

"Indeed," Megatron said. "So far none have taken clear initiative towards rescue attempts, most seem too shell-shocked. I sent another of my party out to help search for survivors; he is telepathic and very efficient at locating trapped mecha. Do you feel up to joining him, or organizing another search party?"

Thundercracker hesitated, processing the multiple shocks and then processing the question. 

"Is your telepath a flier?" he asked instead of a direct answer.

"No, but two of his symbiots are, and they are helping with the search as well," Megatron said, only looking away for a moment to smile warmly at a shaken, grateful mechling before turning back. "He is a host, as well."

"Then unless he is too large for me to carry, I believe I would do the most good with him," Thundercracker decided. "We can cover a lot of territory together."

"I expect so," Megatron said, and databurst the host's coordinates, and his own private comm frequency, as much good as it would do. 

Thundercracker replied in kind, and turned, his frame displaying how deep in thought he was as he returned to the small group he'd lead here. He was welcomed into his Action's arms and drank, grateful for the fuel as he explained what was going on to the small group. When they were finished Thundercracker stood with his Action and took off, heading for the coordinates he'd been given.

He found the host, introduced himself and Skywarp, and they quickly worked out a search grid. With Skywarp's ability to jump into tight and otherwise inaccessible spaces, they pulled almost two dozen Seekers from the rubble. Most were injured and taken immediately back to the central gathering space, some of them chose to stay and help after they got some energon in them.

"Target: acquired," Soundwave announced as Thundercracker flew him slowly over a collapsed tower that had been brought down by shockwaves rather than melted.

"Military," Thundercracker added. "How many?"

"Five," Soundwave answered as they landed, calling several others over. "Query: How does Thundercracker know survivors are military?"

"It's a training facility," Thundercracker pointed to half a design visible in the rubble. "With as little warning as we had, that's who should be inside."

"Where are they?" Skywarp demanded as he appeared.

"Location: directly below," Soundwave said. "Skywarp: can teleport with how many at once?" 

"Um ... I dunno," Skywarp said. "At least three. Never tried it with more. Why?"

"Ravage: reports structure as highly unstable," Soundwave said. "Recommendation: takes as many as possible on the first trip. Excessive movement: likely to trigger full collapse." 

Skywarp nodded nervously, wings flicking. "Got it," he said. "Get in, get as many as I can, get out." Before Thundercracker could say anything, the Action vanished. 

Skywarp was gone for nearly a klik and though the ruins remained silent and still, Thundercracker's wings were taut with anxiety by the time he appeared on the ground, four Seekers in tow. He looked up. "Be right back!" he called, and vanished again, although this time it was for a matter of nanokliks before he came out with the fifth. The structure groaned unhappily before giving and collapsing, but all six were out of harm's way.

"A full trine," Thundercracker whispered as he and Soundwave lowered down to the ground and he got a good look at the wing language of the three who were huddled together. He was shocked at the luck, especially at the chances of a Vision being in such a compound. They very rarely joined the military.

"Thundercracker," the one still clinging to Skywarp said. When Thundercracker's wings canted in some surprise, the older military mech managed a lopsided grin. "Target's creation, recognize one of those anywhere." His left wing had been crushed and he looked like he'd taken a beating, but his tone spoke of far more important intent than just introductions. "Air Guard Major Tumbler. We haven't been able to send out comms, are we still under attack? What defenses do we need?"

"Photon missiles. The attack is over," Thundercracker told him. "We're in rescue and recovery mode now. Help's arrived from Kaon."

"Photon..." Tumbler said, and horror quickly grew over his features and his remaining wing, and was immediately echoed by the trine and the other survivor. "Vos, the--the city?"

"Deactivated, and leveled," Thundercracker said quietly and gently, his wings lowered in grief. It was not the first time he'd delivered that news. 

"Are there known survivors?" Tumbler was the first to recover enough to speak. "My Action, Sidespring and my Vision, Slipstream. Any news of them? Do you know?"

"And my Order is Leviath, my vision is Seren, what of them?" the fifth asked. "I'm Shiver."

"I don't know," Thundercracker admitted, only to look at Soundwave.

"Those designations: unfamiliar," Soundwave said. "Survivors: mostly grouped with Megatron and the supplies."

"Do you know where they should have been?" Thundercracker looked between the two as locations were quickly given. "We've already covered where Seren should be," he said softly and Shiver keened in the beginnings of a trine break. "There is hope for the others. We haven't covered those coordinates yet. If we find them, we'll tell them you survived." He focused on Tumbler. "You need medical care now. Skywarp will take you to the camp. There's a medic there."

"I will stay with you until the search is over," Tumbler said. 

"No," Thundercracker said firmly. "We need able fliers and it is too long and expansive. I will let you know the _instant_ we find anything." 

Tumbler looked incredibly displeased with the whole situation but finally canted in acceptance. Skywarp touched him and Shiver and disappeared.

Thundercracker looked at the remaining trine. "I have seen more shattered trines than any one should ever have to imagine," he murmured. "Take strength in each other." 

"We will," the Order said, before Skywarp came back and took them away.

* * *

Thundercracker sat, petting Skywarp's helm as the Action recharged in his lap. His wings were pointing towards the only entrance to their little shelter within the larger camp. It hadn't been organized, really, but instinct had gathered the survivors into groups of a dozen to a score that huddled in the constructed shelters. He was looking around their small, haphazard flock and trying to decide what, possibly, could come _next_. 

Their city was gone. Their _city_ was _gone_. Vos was _gone_. 

No matter how many times he said it to himself, it didn't feel real. He just felt a strange flatness. Determination, certainly, but the grief he expected hadn't come. The agonizing moments after watching Farcry's grayed frame crushed beneath the rubble--knowing his creation had deactivated alone and afraid and confused--nothing more had come since those agonizing moments. 

He was numb. He knew the others had to be, too. If they were going to survive, they needed to process this. They had to begin to process and cope or none of them would be sane or functional. 

But _how_ was anyone supposed to cope with the loss of their flocks, their trines, their people?

He looked around again, counting out of habit. A few more survivors had trickled into his haphazard flock, including a single Vision with twin newsparks and another full trine. As strong as the draw was to that Vision, he'd soundly rebuffed all attention. He was continuing for the creations he carried, not for himself. Thundercracker's gaze settled on the trine. They were younger than he was, but they were military mecha kindled, separated, raised and trained. If anyone knew how to deal with heavy losses it would be the military.

::Acid Storm.:: Thundercracker pinged the trine's Order, causing the green mech to look over at him. The signal was fuzzy, but this close, they could at least communicate. ::Does the military have guidelines for what to do after a battle with so many lost?::

::Many, not...:: Acid Storm shook his helm. ::Not like this.:: He was holding his Vision tightly and their Action was standing over near the entrance, wings up, posture alert. ::If there's time, releasing the lost to the winds. Broken trines are connected so that as few as possible remain untrined. I don't think civilians would take to that.::

::Not having trinemates selected for them, no, but the funeral ... does it differ from a civilian one?:: Thundercracker asked.

::With mass casualties, everyone is released at once,:: Acid Storm said, perking a little. ::Strict decorum is followed, with an air salute. But in all important aspects, they are the same.::

Thundercracker flicked his wings in thanks for the information, then pinged all who were awake. ::At dawn, we will begin collecting the spark chambers of every fallen Seeker we can find. We will release them all as befitting Seekers, whether we knew them or not.::

They all looked to him, and the immediate emotional reactions were varied, from uncertainty to interest to relief. Most looked just as weary as they had before, and some suddenly even more so at the thought of having to go out into the wreckage. The military survivors, Thundercracker knew, would be fine. He was more concerned about the civilians being able to handle the carnage. Still, in the end it didn't matter if they could or not. The strange flock-by-fate had to leave sometime, for energon and to _do_ something. Hiding here and taking the help offered was acceptable in the short term as they gathered together and began to come to grips with what had happened. In the long run it was not an option.

He watched as the night passed and various Seekers woke and were told, then began to process the idea as their partners slipped into recharge for a few joors. By the time Skywarp roused, Thundercracker was very ready for his turn at not thinking. The greeting kiss was sweet however, and briefly distracted him from his thoughts and plans. He hummed in return and Skywarp nuzzled against him, warm and soothing, pressing his wings into Thundercracker's hands. 

"All still 'kay?" Skywarp murmured drowsily.

"All is still okay," Thundercracker obligingly stroked his Action's wings, craving the connection-building activities more than he thought he should. "At dawn we are going to prepare for a mass funeral by collecting as many spark chambers as can be found. It's time to begin moving forward by saying goodbye."

Skywarp nodded in understanding and shifted up, his hands going to Thundercracker's wings in answer to the touch on his own. "Let me clean?" he said, half-asked.

Thundercracker couldn't hold back the groan of anticipation and desire. "Yes." He pulled out a clean cloth and the last of his polish. 

Skywarp took it and climbed around behind him, nuzzling the back of his neck and taking comfort in the familiar field before he settled into the work, scrubbing away at the soot and scuffs that marked his Order's wings. He'd seen his creators do this for each other almost every orn, a comforting routine that brought them closer together and helped to strengthen their trine bond. At least, that's what Target had told him once after Skywarp had asked about why the adults cleaned each other so often.

From the soft chirring and purrs he earned, along with the not-interfacing-pleasure bliss in Thundercracker's field, he was sure it was working for them too. It felt good, taking care of his Order. It leveled him in a way he couldn't explain but very much enjoyed. He continued to wipe and try to clean with limited supplies, and while the observable effect was limited, the way Thundercracker slowly began to sink into recharge sitting up because he was _relaxing_ in feeling safe and cared for thrilled Skywarp in a way he wanted to repeat, often.

When his trinemate finally sank fully offline, Skywarp caught him and brought him back against his chest, holding him tightly as he answered to the sudden need to _guard_. He trusted the other Seekers in the room only to an extent, and he wasn't going to let his awareness down until Thundercracker was fully online again. 

At least the others seemed content to keep to themselves. It wasn't healthy flock behavior, but then, nothing about the situation was healthy. The single complete trine had taken the lone Vision into their care and were cuddled with him in the corner. Two of the untrined Actions were interfacing, slowly and gently, with the utmost care for the other and determination to survive clear in their fields. 

Skywarp nuzzled his Order, and settled in to wait out the rest of the night.

* * *

Thundercracker knelt by Rico's half buried frame and tried not to think about what he was doing as he pried the chest open. He'd wanted to leave this sector to another, to not face this so directly, but when Skywarp asked he couldn't refuse. Half the flock had been found already. He was reasonably sure he knew where several others were. Skywarp was a block over, working on his own collection of spark chambers. Just this flight, this one orn's worth of gathering, would be a funeral for hundreds. Depending on what others said, and if any other survivors saw them as they flew up, there may be several more orns of collecting, grinding and releasing to come.

The deactivated would easily number in the tens of millions. Vos was an enormous city with a healthy, thriving population, and in all of his flying, Thundercracker hadn't seen any one part of it that wasn't ruined. The number of survivors was already abysmally small for what their kind had numbered less than a decaorn previously. 

His creator-trine and their flock, _his_ flock, had all gathered in their eyrie in a final effort to protect each other and their home, but the shockwave from the missile had shattered them. Only the ones who had been within the building were salvageable; the others had simply disintegrated. 

"I ... found sparklings," Skywarp said, coming back and holding the small, intricate chambers in his hands. 

"Probably Jericho's," Thundercracker murmured, and placed his helm to Rico's in a final farewell to the Order that had shaped him in so many ways. He looked back up to Skywarp. "Twins?" 

Skywarp nodded.

Thundercracker closed and off-lined his optics briefly as he gathered himself and the will to continue. "Thank you. For insisting on this, on here."

"Wanted to see," Skywarp said, his wings lifting in a halfsparked shrug. "I always felt at home here. I missed it, when I could remember."

"We'll make a new home," Thundercracker forced himself to his pedes and scanned for the next grayed frame that hadn't been pried open. "We can't give up."

Skywarp sighed and nodded and subspaced the small spark chambers, then warped over to Thundercracker and grabbed his wrist, pulling him into a tight hug. His wings were shivering, almost imperceptibly. "Glad I found you," he said.

"So am I," Thundercracker held him back, quivering just as hard. "I'd have deactivated with Farcry and the newspark if not for you."

Skywarp made a quiet, distressed sound, and then warped them both away from the eyrie, back to the shelter they'd been staying in for the last orns. It was empty, the rest of the survivors all out searching for chambers. 

"We'll go back," Skywarp promised. "Just, after...?"

"Yes," Thundercracker trilled into a soft moan as he pressed their frames together and claimed a needed kiss that set both their circuits on fire. "I missed you so much."

"I'm sorry I was so stupid," Skywarp said, and lifted his hands to Thundercracker's neck and jaw, cradling him into the next kiss. "Shoulda just said yes."

"Then we'd all be deactivated," Thundercracker trembled, submitting to the kiss and the growing need to explore his Action's frame. His hands slid along Skywarp's sides, up his cockpit, out to his wings. "Missed you so much."

Skywarp sighed against his mouth and pushed back until Thundercracker was against the wall, and the kisses became a distant second place next to relearning each other's frames, lips sliding lazily against each other as hands worked with careful precision to feel out every span and seam, dedicating it to memory in a way that was _trine_ and no other lover would rate. For Thundercracker it instigated the long-term storage of this information about his former trine, mecha he would never need this detail about again. For Skywarp, every touch, every sensation was in a brilliant new light. Normal interfacing just wouldn't be the same again and he absently wondered by anyone would leave their trine to be with another.

Thundercracker's mouth found Skywarp's neck cabling and mouthed them, his glossa sliding along each one to record every tiny detail. Skywarp moaned, head going back to give access. His hands went to Thundercracker's cockpit and mapped the smooth glass with his fingertips. The trine bond strengthened, the safety and serenity that it created washed through them. As rushed and as hurried as the creation had been, as new as the loss was for Thundercracker, it wasn't perfect. But it was better than not having it at all. 

Skywarp's hand went down Thundercracker's side, slid around his leg and pulled up, hiking it up to his waist. Thundercracker's valve cover slid open immediately with a wash of heat though his field and against silver pelvic plating.

"Yes, want you," Thundercracker moaned, shameless in his need while his hands continued to map wide, strong wings, shoulder vents and chest vents. "Fill me."

"Missed you," Skywarp said again, and his spike extended between them. There was a sudden, overwhelming need to _care_ for his Order and do whatever he could to help him, and he carefully angled his hips, and pushed up. He slid in easily, and remembered this frame and the way it held him, and shuddered. He pressed his face to Thundercracker's neck and soaked in the joy and pleasure Thundercracker felt in this gentle intimacy. It was little like most of their previous encounters when Skywarp's youthful desires enflamed Thundercracker's own. His hips moved slowly as they rocked together, the friction-generated pleasure far less interesting than emotional strength and stability it generated in them.

"My Action," Thundercracker offered his throat willingly and cycled his valve calipers around the delicious spike inside him. "Missed you, never forgot you."

"Tried not to forget you," Skywarp murmured, and bit gently at the cables. The steadiness felt new, the careful pacing, the attention to every movement so different from the careless, impassioned interfacing they had shared. Skywarp felt _older_ suddenly, with his Order in his care. "My Order." It came out as a vow to protect and survive.

"Yes," Thundercracker keened softly, nearly a sob of relief and desire. Not just to have part of a trine, but to have _Skywarp_ back. It meant that living, through the loss of his trine and his creation and his city and flock and people, could be worth it. 

The overload crept up on them, more of a sigh than a shout, and Skywarp shuddered and spilled into Thundercracker, wings quivering with emotion that was mirrored and expanded on by the blue pair across from them. From that brief moment, they felt almost whole and the world wasn't such an empty, frightening place.

And then the moment passed and they were clutching each other and panting, trembling, Skywarp with his head on Thundercracker's shoulder and Thundercracker holding him as tight as he dared. 

"Should get back prolly," Skywarp murmured.

"Yes," Thundercracker signed, reluctant but not about to fight the inevitable.

Skywarp carefully pulled his spike out and their panels closed up as they held each other, taking a few more moments to gather strength enough to face the task at hand again. Thundercracker finally murmured his readiness and then he found himself back where they'd been before, surrounded by the rubble of his eyrie and the shattered frames of his flock.

He focused on _duty_ to get him through this, and knew he'd need his Action again tonight when the funeral flight was over.

* * *

They spent the rest of the orn gathering and grinding spark chambers, and those recovered finally grew so numerous that Thundercracker had to start taking just small pieces from each crystal to join with the rest, or they would have been grinding for more orns than they could afford. Even with that, it was a monumental, and emotionally taxing task. 

When the last of the recovered chambers had been ground into powder and joined with the rest, Thundercracker sat back with a heavy sigh, looking at the collected containers. "We should find a piece of Vos," he murmured, wings canted down with heavy grief. 

No one objected, and it was a silent, mournful group that made their way into the center of the city. Others who saw them in the sky joined them on the journey, though not all of them remained when they learned the final goal of their mission. 

They came to the metrotitan's center, barely recognizable, just twisted heaps of melted and fused ruins. On the surface, where the missile had hit, there was nothing left. Her frame had been melted, turned to a single, scarred lump around it. There was no way to get inside to where her spark chamber had been, if it even was still there.

"Now what?" someone asked, the question directed loosely at Thundercracker.

"Now ... now we find something we can grind to dust to take up. Some part of her to fly with her citizens forever," Thundercracker said more firmly than he felt as he scanned the slag heap for something suitable.

When he was starting to despair of finding anything that they could remove without specialized equipment, he felt Skywarp's hand wrap around his wrist and he was suddenly in a pitch black chamber, startled by the lack of sky above. 

"Maybe in here..." Skywarp said uncertainly, the light from their optics the only thing illuminating the chamber around them. "It was the only open place I could find right below."

Thundercracker looked around, taking in where he was before deciding it wasn't relevant. It was part of her, part of Vos, and like any Seeker who'd had their chassis vaporized, any piece would do in the end. He felt around the uneven, melted and shattered wall before finding a piece that felt right. He didn't question or think about why, he simply began to cut a chunk the size of his hand away with his arm cannon.

The metal down here was more jagged and possible to break away, not like the smooth, solid mass on the surface. As he worked, he felt Skywarp's steady field against him, mourning the death of a metrotitan that he'd never really known, but one he recognized was important to his Order. 

Thundercracker was grateful for the stability. It helped him stay focused through his grief until the piece came away.

"Back up now?" Thundercracker half asked. Some part of him wanted to remain in here, inside Vos, and let Primus take him. It wasn't a large part, but that was what grief was and he didn't fight its right to exist in his spark right now.

"We can wait a little while, if you want," Skywarp murmured, touching the gray, warped metal. "Did you know her?"

"No, not really," Thundercracker admitted as he leaned against his Action, his mate and trinemate, grateful for a bit of time to process. "It just ... you can rebuild an eyrie. You can rebuild a city. You can't rebuild the mech or spark that made it what it was. She defined home, set the tone for the city. Every city reflects its metrotitan, and now Vos is no more."

Skywarp nodded, looking around while Thundercracker rested against him, shaking in silence as all of it hit him at once. The grief came and went in short, intense waves that were spaced by periods of intense, incredible numbness, and Skywarp waited until the wave passed and the wings were once again still. 

"Ready?" he murmured. "Everyone's waiting."

"I am as ready as I will be this orn," Thundercracker gripped his emotions tightly and stood straight, his wings steady as he reached his hand to his Action. "Now."

They jumped up to the surface and the open sky, rejoining the rest who had all been waiting uncertainly. Hesitant wings lifted in anticipation of anything being found, or nothing at all. Thundercracker held the gray metal shard out. "A piece of Vos," he said, flatly. "She will rest with the others, and with her frame, represent all those who were too--" His vocalizer cracked and shorted as grief surged again. 

There had been no sign of Target, Swingshift, Aleno, Valhalla, Jericho. They'd all returned to their eyrie to protect the seekerlings and their Visions, he'd spoken with them in the final moments. They had been there, and there was no trace left of them. 

He steadied himself. "Those who could not be found."

There was uneasy shifting in the gathering, now almost six times the size of his original refugee flock, but no one objected. It meant the searching was over, the gathering of the deactivated was over. There would be a funeral within the orn.

"Tomorrow night we fly and speak of those that are gone," Thundercracker said with more steady command than he felt. "At first light we will release them all in the caelum asa."

"Can we ... bring more crystals?" one of the newcomers asked, one of those who'd arrived too late to really join in with the search. "My eyrie, I think I could find..."

"Yes," Thundercracker focused on the Seeker he didn't know. "If you can find them, bring them and they will be ground and released." His stance softened. "I would wait longer, but we must begin to grieve what we have lost. Finding all the chambers could take us vorns."

Nods and cants of understanding answered him, grateful murmurs for the additional time to gather everyone they could, living and deactivated, and the group began to scatter after Thundercracker pinged the time and coordinates of the funeral.

Skywarp waited with him until everyone else was gone, and then teleported them both away from the wreckage of the metrotitan, back to the little room they'd been taking their shelter in. "Couldn't find Target," the young Action murmured. "He was the only one I really wanted."

"He ... I was speaking to them just before that missile hit," Thundercracker shivered. "Those in the air ... they were vaporized. Some were gone before they even realized the impact happened. Target, Rico ... They did the most to raise me. If I didn't know better, I would think Rico is actually my spark sire. I take after him so much. Target too. I miss them."

"Me too," Skywarp said, voice thick with static, and they clung to each other through the night, taking turns soothing through the grief. 

* * *

It was not long after dark when the Seekers gathered, every one of the three hundred and some survivors with a container of spark dust in their hands. Some had worked through the night and the next day to collect as many crystals as they could and most would release the remains of dozens. Only a handful were lucky enough to have found any of their immediate flock, but no one begrudged the burden they carried, known or unknown in it. Once released, all would mingle in the strata of atmosphere and become one.

It was to Thundercracker, who had ended up as the de-facto leader of the city's survivors, to carry the remains of Vos in addition to his flock and neighbors. He also carried the remains of Windsheer. The noble had survived the attack, but not the loss of his trine, flock and city. Being _alone_ had been too much for him. He hadn't been the only one to gray from shock and grief. Thundercracker hoped that those that made it to the funeral would be strong enough to last, but somehow he knew that not even all of them would make it. 

He launched first, Skywarp on his left wing and perfectly in synch. The rest followed, each of them heavily burdened in spark and frame but steady in their flight. 

Not all of them had been to the upper atmosphere before, and he could guess which ones from the way they handled the steady, vicious winds, but there were plenty of experienced fliers to help those who needed it and teach them how to angle and fly so they could all come level and hold steady. Being up here was physically taxing, fighting against the jet stream while attempting to remain together, and what had once been an amazing view of Vos below was now only one more heavy reminder. From here, the ruins looked catastrophic. 

Thundercracker forced his focus back up and on the gathering, all of whom were now looking to him to begin. He couldn't grip Skywarp's hand like he wanted to, both of them were carrying vessels, but his Action's field was steady against his.

"Vos deactivated as a city should, caring for her citizens. Actions were in the sky. Orders near their eyries. Visions within protecting the next generation. No one was prepared for what this assault was. Photon missiles were never an enemy we were ready to stop, though we tried. They gave their sparks doing what Seekers should do. Remember their designations. Survive so their sacrifices will not be in vain. Any who knew the deactivated, speak of them."

He paused and bowed his head, looking at the vessel in his hands. "My Vision's designation was Farcry, my Action was Sound Barrier." He took a deep intake, cycled it, and went on to list the flock he'd lost, their creations and mates, the newsparks who'd never gotten a chance to live. When he was done, he looked back up, canting his wings in open invitation for others to speak of their loved ones. 

Silence answered him, uncertain looks and flickers, and then Acid Storm began to talk of the creations his trine had lost, their mates, their creators, their flock. Others followed after him, and by the time first light began to creep upon them, everyone had had a chance to speak.

"Vos and all our kin, may your sparks be at peace here with our brethren," Thundercracker said, and touched his hand over his own spark and bowed his head. "My Action, My Vision, my trine, my flock, my people, my city, you deserve to fly these skies forever. Watch over us as we find a way to rebuild our kind."

Thundercracker looked at the crystal sphere in his hands, one of the few they had. It was Vos, not his flock, that had earned the special container for the flight up. Not long ago every flock had one. Not many survived, and the deactivated were too many.

He forced his thoughts from that grief and turned so the howling wind would blow the crystal dust away from him rather than into him and opened the sphere. Light blue dust shimmered and was whipped up and away by the wind, disappearing within nanokliks. 

"Be at peace," Thundercracker whispered, staring into the emptiness.

The others came up in turn to release their own burdens, carried in whatever they'd been able to find, and the ground down crystal whipped away into the jet stream in silence. The Seekers hovered there, watching, letting the grainy crystal that filled the air up here sand deep scratches into their finish that would not be tended to until they were done grieving. For most, that meant it they would be down to base metal. For this lot, it was likely to be long past that point.

Thundercracker transformed and flew into the wind and the rest followed him as they took a mourning flight that lasted the rest of the orn.


	6. Starscream Arrives

Even at top speed, it took Starscream most of an orn to cross the planet to reach Vos once the full extent of the disaster was reported to the general public. There had been rumors of battle and destruction, but nothing like the reality. Vos and Tarn had attacked each other with photon missiles at the same time, and both cities had been leveled. With his own research in ruins and his life surrounded in scandal, Starscream had nothing left but to rush to his desolated home city. 

He banked down and came into view and saw nothing but ruins where there had once been a beautiful, shining city that stretched towards the sky. 

Now, a flattened pile of rubble. 

He was coming in to look for a safe place to land when his sensors picked up a large group of fliers coming down from the upper atmosphere. He quickly banked away and transformed behind a collapsed skyscraper, watching. Their finish was scratched; they were returning from a mourning flight. He watched the gathering, close to three hundred strong, break up to fly to various places in the desolate city in groups of a dozen or so. It wasn't difficult to pick out the leader of the flight. A medium blue Seeker with Air Martial insignia emblazoned on his wide, strong wings.

A black Seeker flew with him in the Action's position, and he was clearly not a capable flier. His handle on the winds was unsteady and disorganized, amateurish. Most new mechlings flew better than that. It was wholly disgraceful. What was an Air Martial doing with a flier like _that?_

Starscream tracked their location and then waited almost three groons for the tired Seekers to settle before he set off to look for the ruins of his eyrie. Not that he expected much, but to _see_ it, witness it with his own senses brought it crashing down on him as _real_.

His flock was gone.

Sure, they weren't on the best of terms. Sure he'd flown away from them, from Vos, from being courted to trine to pursue his career in Iacon. 

They were still his flock. 

They'd reached out to him to come home when news of the scandal and the trial had reached them. Flock meant undying acceptance and safety, and even after everything, they'd reached out to their wayward creation. Even after hearing about his relationship with a _Shuttle._

They'd asked him to come home to his own kind, and he'd stayed in Iacon. Stayed in the city of Senators and traitors, seen firsthand how they had done nothing to stop the fighting between the now-destroyed neighboring city-states. 

He could have returned to his flock, and he hadn't, and now they were no more.

The rubble of his home eyrie, in one of the less affluent districts near the far border, wasn't as ruined as what he'd seen near the center. Destroyed, yes, but the foundations and forms of these eyries were recognizable. 

And frames. There were frames out here, scattered about, all with their chests carefully pried open. He landed next to one and knelt, touching the face. He didn't recognize it, but it looked like his creators, and could have been one of the younger siblings he'd never met. 

At least their chambers had been taken to the sky. 

Starscream shuddered and drew the unknown Seeker into his arms, tucking his helm down and keening. Iacon had stood by and _let_ this happen. He'd seen for himself how little the mecha there respected his kind and kin, _grounders_ who thought themselves better, out of jealousy and spite. 

They would pay. They would _pay_.

He didn't look up again until a broadcast came through on every frequency.

Megatron.

He'd heard that designation, knew what it meant to Iacon, only now it meant something very different to him.

Revenge.

The broadcast repeated, a time and place within the city, a summons for the survivors. It was coming through remarkably clear, and Starscream immediately wanted to know how the grounder had managed to so perfectly replicate Seeker coding and marking within the signal. 

His wings shivered as he moved for the first time since kneeling, all the way out to the tips as he kissed the gray mouth, then stood and followed the signal back to its origin.

He identified Megatron immediately and skimmed over a few dozen Seekers to turn his gaze to the blocky blue mech next to the revolutionist. A host. It didn't matter who it was, that was how the broadcast was done.

Freaky telepaths.

He circled again and landed relatively far away from the gathering space, wanting to avoid as many of the survivors as he could. There were broken trines everywhere and the last thing he wanted right now was to have the unbroken Vision signal broadcasting out. He'd be mobbed. As much as he liked being the center of attention, he didn't want it _that_ way.

The grounder, a big, bulky example of a tank-former, had a rich, commanding voice for his kind. He even spoke Vosian. Not well, but it was impressive that he even knew that Seekers had one language of their own. He could be forgiven not to know Seeker cant too. It wasn't as if he was capable of it without the wings.

Jet engines fired overhead and Starscream ducked down, watching the Air Martial and his Action joining the gathering, close to the front. The Air Martial landed close to Megatron, wings relaxed and speaking of familiarity. They greeted each other solemnly. 

The Seekers seemed comfortable with this grounder, and Megatron was even handing out cubes of energon to those who approached. He seemed to be waiting for more to gather, and if what Starscream had heard of this grounder and his ideals was anywhere close to correct, he would be addressing them once he was satisfied with his audience. 

From what Starscream could gather, the Seekers were talking about rebuilding, looking to go on. They clearly had so little idea of what was really going on. That had always been one of Vos's greatest weaknesses -- so little attention and understanding of the planet as a whole. The political dynamics between Iacon and Kaon were getting complicated and tense, never a good mix, and with Vos's political affiliation with the gladiator state, Iacon was not rushing to help them. 

Kaon, it seemed, would win the war for the Seekers, but only if this grounder managed to convince them.

It wasn't long much longer to wait before Megatron found a bit of rubble that put him above the Seekers gathered, and while Starscream recognized the reason for the move -- to put him at the focal point and make it easier for other grounders to see him, the immediate effect on the Seekers was chilling. The Air Martial was the first to take off, lifting himself helm and shoulders above the grounder, but there was little difference between the first and last to take off. Clearly, whatever their history was, the Air Martial still saw the grounder as just that: a _grounder_.

Starscream couldn't hold back the smirk at Megatron and Soundwave's tensing at being surrounded by airborne Seekers, but he was privately impressed that it didn't take even half a klik for Megatron to collect himself fully and launch into a speech that was simply beautiful. Emotional, yes, but full of facts and plans. Real data and a real path forward. 

But when he brought up Tarn, Starscream could have clawed his optics out. The Seekers hissed at him, the aggressive stances increasing tenfold throughout the audience. 

Except for the Air Martial's Action. 

Well wasn't that strange? 

"Listen to me," Megatron implored them, and he looked to speak directly to the Air Martial for a moment before shifting his gaze around the others. "I want to help you. Tarn was also destroyed. The same weapon that destroyed your city destroyed theirs, at the same moment as Vos. Iacon let your cities struggle and fight and chose to do _nothing_. Their own interests were served better by letting you war with each other, and it has done nothing but fan the flames!"

"That doesn't make _them_ any more acceptable," someone growled. It was a heavy frame, a war-framed Seeker from the weapon mounts, but one without markings. He couldn't have been very old to be without rank or unit insignia. From what Starscream remembered, even the retired ones kept the markings they'd earned.

"Filthy grounders," several others muttered, and wings all around made rude flicks.

"And they are no more!" Megatron amplified his voice over that of the growing shouts. "The enemy is the one who allowed it to happen and has not come to your aid!"

"Why _hasn't_ Iacon come?" the Air Martial asked. 

"Vos's political leaders showed preliminary interest in Kaon's growing move for independence," Megatron said. "Iacon has declared that any that move with Kaon are to be outcasted from their aid." He looked to each of them as he spoke. "The survivors of Tarn are just like you, broken and devastated, and none of them were the one who pressed the button. They bring valuable skills, and will be eager soldiers. But they will be no more than grunts. Not like the _Seekers._ "

"Three hundred, even three hundred Seekers, against the Empire is suicide," the Air Martial countered warily, though Starscream could see that he was growing less hostile. "Why should more of us extinguish?"

"I would not risk your valuable skills so lightly," Megatron said. "You have the advantage of flight, superior processors and frames. I want the Seekers to _command_."

"Command what? I see no army with you." The Air Martial was now just a bit more interested, and so was Starscream. Finally, a grounder that understood their natural superiority.

"No, and not yet," Megatron admitted. "We are still growing, in Kaon. We need time to gather our forces, but when we are strong enough, we will take down Iacon and rebuild your city. When it is safe, and the world is free of their oppression."

"Having us will draw them in faster," someone said.

"And in the meantime?" someone else asked. "What do we do while your army is recruited, trained and trying not to be leveled by the army?"

"Yes, how do we remain safe?"

"You think you will remain safe here?" Megatron asked in answer. "Your city is in ruins. You have no defenses, your survivors are not a military. I offer safety, clean energon, training, and time to recover. You do not need to be surrounded by these memories. Come to Kaon, we have the resources you need, and all I ask is that you be open to serving with me when the time for it comes. I pray it never does, but I fear it will."

Starscream watched silence fall over the gathering and he knew a decision was coming. His gaze flicked over mecha, watched wings, he listened to near-silent trills and chirrs. He wanted, and he knew the Air Martial was going to speak for them all. How an Order with such a pathetic Action and no Vision ended up the de facto leader he was sure he would never fathom. Not when there were complete trines. Not many, but he saw them.

"If we stay here, and refuse service, will your aid cease?" the Air Martial asked. 

"Never," Megatron said, and put his hand over his spark. "I plan to continue searching for survivors and bringing in supplies for as long as there may be Seekers who need them. Whatever is needed, and resources for the young and carrying. A new world will mean little with none to inherit it."

The Air Martial locked his frame in an airborne salute, wings flared wide and steady. "What you give, you will receive," he said, formally committing his trine and any who followed him to the cause and command. Then dropped his altitude to meet Megatron's optic level and relaxed his stance, making it clear to the Seekers around him that their leader would be equal to the revolution's leader. 

"Your assistance has been invaluable, and I will endeavor to help your cause as I can," he said. "I make no promise for others, but those who wish may journey to Kaon and I will not stop any who wish to fight alongside you."

"Thank you," Megatron said, bowing his helm. "Kaon welcomes its Seeker brethren, those who would come." 

They continued to talk for some time, about the searches, supplies, and the political reality of the planet. The entire time, Seekers approached for medical aid and energon, and all of them were seen to.

Starscream focused back out at the remaining gathering. Most looked like civilians and on the whole, lacked any kind of military precision in their manner. There were smaller flocks forming and the heads of those did appear to have the military or combat history, but on the whole, they were not nearly as interesting as the Air Martial commander. Starscream focused on him as a plan began to form.

Starscream knew he was among the best in the skies and he could be of real _use_ to Megatron, but not while he was broadcasting an unbroken, untrined Vision signal. No one would take him seriously. No one would let him _fight_. 

The Air Martial had a haphazard flier--at best--for an Action and would probably be getting fairly desperate for some actual _skill_ in his trine. No one needed to know what Starscream was, he could strike a deal with them and give them the processor calm of a complete trine. They'd likely been trined before, and glitching always came on stronger and sooner after that. Starscream himself still had plenty of time before he needed to worry about such things, but the Air Martial and his Action almost certainly didn't.

He shadowed them for half the orn, then retreated to where he'd seen them roost after the funeral. It was a distressful place for a Seeker to be, but even he could see there weren't many other options. Inside were stores. Parts, energon, oil, bits of culture pried from the ruble, and all unguarded.

He perused them casually, searching through the items of culture for anything of interest or value, and had just become aware of two Seekers in the sky overhead when his proximity sensors jumped with alarm as they were suddenly-- _impossibly_ \--in the room with him. He whirled around, wings flared high in both alarm and warning.

"Who are you?" Thundercracker demanded as both raised arm cannons at him, though even Starscream could see that neither was primed to fire, and they were just as quickly brought down.

"How did you _get_ here?" Starscream countered, his mood soured by the shock.

The black one -- black and purple in root mode -- scowled and put himself between Starscream and Thundercracker. "Designation's Skywarp. Figure it out."

Starscream flicked his wings and cocked his head, and then his optics widened. "So _that's_ why you fly like a grounder with a prop jet strapped to his back," he mused, only to squawk when Skywarp was suddenly right in his faceplates, claws digging into his throat cabling and wings high and angry. A purple hand grabbed his wing and pulled down, threatening to tear it off. All the while Thundercracker, his Order, just watched.

"Hey, _hey!_ " he yelped in protest as the other wing dipped down in immediate surrender. "What's wrong with you, don't you know what I _am?_ "

"You're a walking insult," Skywarp snarled. His grip loosened but he was still right in Starscream's face, deep in his field and very, very angry. "You're clean, unscratched, looking through _our_ supplies like a thief. You look funny too."

"He got here in good time for where he was," Thundercracker spoke evenly before Starscream could come up with a retort for that, studying him in a way that made the white-winged jet uneasy. "Iacon's a long flight, isn't it Starscream?"

"You want to talk good time, I've been here since before you returned from the mourning flight," Starscream snapped. "Gonna call your Action off and tell me how you know me?"

A low trill made Skywarp's wings flick, but he gave Starscream a last glare and let go to warp back to his Order's side.

"I'm an Air Martial Captain," Thundercracker shrugged his wings. "It's my duty to know about renegades. Your actions put you on a short list of Seekers who abandoned their flocks to live outside of Vos. I can't say what I know of you makes you very appealing, untrined Vision or not."

" _Abandoned_ is such a harsh word," Starscream said, resettling his armor with precise care. "It hardly takes circumstances into account." He carefully rolled the wing that Skywarp had grabbed, and when he deemed it undamaged, looked at Thundercracker. "I think we got off to a bad start. My designation is, as you know, Starscream. I have something you want, and you have something I want, and both of us want to work with Megatron against Iacon. I think we can help each other."

"I am Thundercracker, trine and flock Order. My Action is Skywarp," he returned the introduction with more formality than Starscream had used. "What is it that you want?"

"I need to stop _broadcasting_ ," Starscream said. "I'm a fantastic flier and I could easily be the best, but if I'm going to command, I need to pass as an Order until I get there."

Thundercracker's wings flicked in shock and he simply stared for a long, unsteady klik. "You want ... you're a _Vision!_ " he rumbled in a mixture of shock and horror at the concept. "You're a Vision. I'm an Order. It can't be changed. We are what we are."

"Well of course it doesn't change," Starscream said, rolling his optics. "But that doesn't mean anyone has to _know_. Look, you've been showing off too much and been too close to everyone, so no one would believe you lying anyway. But _no one_ knows me, so once I stop transmitting a signal, I can be whatever I want."

"In public," Thundercracker struggled to work the way through the plan he'd been given pieces of. "Why not select trinemates that are less well known? It would be easier for you that way."

Starscream gave an exaggerated sigh. "No one else looked promising as a wingmate," he said, shrugging. "And I wanted at least _one_ decent flier in the mix." He looked Skywarp critically up and down.

"He'll learn," Thundercracker defended his trinemate. "No one flies well with less than a vorn in open skies." He paused and regarded the crazy Vision. Yet the size, arrogance, temper and _everything_ was so different from Farcry that it would be a relief to not have the reminders of the Vision he loved in the Vision he'd fly with. "You would make smart creations," he murmured. "You say you're a good flier. Prove it. Outfly us. If you can't do that, you shouldn't be going for command anyway and you can help form a trine with those too damaged to fight."

Starscream's blanched, horrified look easily showed what he thought of that idea before he recovered and flicked his wings condescendingly. "Fine," he said. "If you insist on putting yourself through the humiliation. Oh, and you've got another thing coming if you think I'm in this to _create_ for you, or anyone else for that matter."

"You're a Vision. You'll create. It doesn't matter if that's why you want to trine," Thundercracker pointed out a truth Starscream very much wanted to forget and the pair vanished in a flash of purple-black.

Starscream gave a disgusted scoff and muttered something wholly unkind about the antiquated ideals of decrepit old Orders before getting outside and rocketing straight up, transforming when he was halfway to the pair. He chose a direction that went directly away from the city center and blasted off. Almost immediately his proximity sensors screamed about the two frames flanking him, working to force him to land. Thundercracker was indeed a skilled flier, and while Skywarp was as pathetic at it as he looked he used that teleporting ability to make up for it.

That was annoying as all slag and Starscream was forced into a series of rapid spins to keep them at a manageable distance, and when he had them right above shot straight up between them and then kept going into the sky.

::Hi!:: Skywarp chirped smugly at him from half a wingspan away.

What was more annoying was that Thundercracker, though slower, was a technically better flier than Starscream. Older, more experienced and intensely trained by the Air Martials. He was no desk mech. He flew for a living and his life often. But Starscream was easily faster and had flown in interstellar wind and through asteroid fields. Thundercracker had proper technique on him, and experience, but little else. Starscream would just have to outrace both of them. At least Skywarp, while impossible to shake, couldn't really _do_ anything to him once he had caught up.

Well, nothing but get in the way, which he was very good at. Starscream banked sharply and finally decided that his best course of action was to try and force Thundercracker down. It wasn't something he had experience at, but he had speed and he was determined to stop broadcasting. He wanted to help what was left of his kind. Thundercracker would _see_ that once he'd proven himself. 

He led them out of Vos and into the crystal canyons, diving down into them and weaving in and out, daring Thundercracker to come chase him. The Air Martial didn't even hesitate, and neither did his Action. It was informative though. Starscream was now certain that they hadn't been trined long. They didn't have the coordination that he expected of a ranking Air Martial and his Action.

Starscream was faster, more agile and more stubborn. He _would_ win. Winning meant forcing that Air Martial to the ground. Getting above him, getting close and staying there as he lowered their altitude. Thundercracker immediately realized what he was trying to do and started compensating for it, while Skywarp continued to teleport directly above him and disrupt his flight path. 

That was getting _irritating_. Finally Starscream decided he'd had enough and switched his target to the Action, and waited until Skywarp was right in front of him before transforming in midair and grabbing the teleporter's wings, firing his thrusters and pulling them into a tight, disorienting spin. Skywarp screeched and began to rapidly teleporting, his field full of remembered panic.

Starscream growled at him and held onto the central wing joint, pulling back through the disorienting jumps until he read Thundercracker directly overhead. He let go of Skywarp and launched straight up, buzzing the Air Martial at a rapid speed and flipping around over him. He grabbed Thundercracker's wing joint the same way he'd held Skywarp's, yanked hard enough to throw off the flight pattern and then while Thundercracker was still adjusting, transformed, and tried to rocket down. With his belly against Thundercracker's back, it was his engines and flight skill against the other's, and he felt powerful engines resisting. Yet in the end, he had the more powerful engines. It gave him speed, but it was also flat out strength in such a shoving match.

Thundercracker continued to resist, trying to twist and power his way out of being forced down, but he didn't force a crash. When the altitude dropped too low, he stopped struggling and allowed Starscream to guide him down. With their plating touching, there was no way to miss how impressed he was.

"So?" Starscream said with no shortage of smug pride as soon as they had both safely landed and transformed. Skywarp teleported in to stand next to his Order, glaring at the Vision with his wings twitching in agitation. "It's a perfect deal. You get a Vision and you don't start to glitch, I get to stop broadcasting."

"Wait, glitch?" Skywarp's wings flared in distress.

"I have about five vorns. You probably have a century or more," Thundercracker glanced at him, then focused on Starscream. "I don't like your plan, but I will accept it."

Starscream opened his mouth to answer, looking very smug, but Thundercracker held his hand up. "Before I go through with this, back in the sky." 

"Why?" Starscream asked, not moving to comply. 

"Because if you're going to be my Vision, you're going to respect me as your Order," Thundercracker said with a warning flare. "In the sky, _now_." 

Starscream glared at him, then rolled his optics and jumped up. Thundercracker was fast on his tail, chasing him higher over the canyons. Starscream flew lazily and waited for some kind of instruction, and then noticed that Skywarp wasn't following them. Before he could figure out why, a subsonic vibration rippled through his lines, fed into his spark chamber and caused his spark to panic worse than in the storm where he'd lost Skyfire. The audible rumble came a moment later and scrambled his processors, kicking everything into full panic mode. He was flying blind, instruments scrambled and unable to even think with enough clarity to switch to manual and visual systems, and then the crash into the ground jarred him into root mode as he tumbled and skidded. 

By the time he'd regained his senses Thundercracker had landed and was standing over him, his Action at his side, arms crossed over their chests as they glared down at him. 

"You're a Pit of a pair," Starscream gasped, shaking badly.

"Thank you," Thundercracker accepted the complement for what it was and uncrossed his arms to offer Starscream a hand up. "You'll be an amazing flier when you've had some real training."

"I don't _need_ training," Starscream said haughtily as he accepted the hand. He looked at Skywarp. "How old are you?"

"Frame's nine hundred and twenty one," Skywarp shrugged. "I'm about three hundred."

Starscream peered at him, wings flicking in interest. "How..." 

"You don't get to just barge into our lives and demand our stories," Thundercracker said. "You're not going to even admit to being trine with us." 

Starscream flicked his wings dismissively. "Fine. Do you have any requests or requirements?"

"You will recharge with us the night after any fight and every third after that," Thundercracker spoke as he thought. "You will respect me as your Order in private."

"Fine," Starscream dipped his wings in a casual acceptance of it.

"If you survive this war, be ready to carry," Thundercracker shrugged. "Your science will have to wait until we have a viable population again."

"Yeah, no," Starscream said. "No promises on that."

"Then be prepared to be rejected," Thundercracker warned.

Starscream shrugged at him. "I won't need you by then anyway," he said, and then shifted a little uneasily. "So now..."

"We merge," Thundercracker said more firmly than Starscream was expecting and stepped into the Vision's personal space. "On your back. You know what to say."

Starscream's wings rattled with dislike but he didn't refuse as he lowered down. "My Order, my leader," he forced out as he looked to Thundercracker, and then Skywarp. "My Action, my protector."

Thundercracker and Skywarp lowered themselves over him, protecting as well as dominating. "Finish," Thundercracker demanded, his armor latches unlocking as his canopy slid to the side.

Starscream choked down the groan of dislike and forced himself to remember that desperate times called for desperate measures, and to focus on his goal. He _needed_ a trine. Not just to be taken seriously as a commander, but for the safety of the Orders and Actions flying with him. An untrined Vision would cause them to hyperfocus with potentially fatal results. "My creations will be yours to keep and guard," he recited as his cockpit slid back and the mechanics beneath began to fold away to reveal his chamber and the bright yellow spark within. "My spark is yours to kindle with, have it now."

He felt Thundercracker relax slightly, and with him Skywarp. Their armor opened in near-unison, exposing one silvery-blue spark and one of deep purple. Skywarp shifted to kiss him, a bit awkward and uncertain, but he followed his Order's movements to merge. Across the new connection Starscream felt their essences flood his own. One was tired, hurting and angry with old crimes by the state against his morality still burning in his spark along with the so-recent loss of his Action, Vision and the creation that had not yet separated. The other was younger, weary and chaotic, but felt far older than Starscream would have expected given either stated age. The strange old-young spark had less self-control and there were jumbled memories in it that kept rising up to the surface, giving Starscream mysterious pictures and images that flashed by rapidly. 

Both of them felt the pain of _loss_ and a flock shattered out of existence, and to Starscream's surprise, they were the same flock. Above the pain of the city, this flock resided in their sparks, together.

~Siblings?~ Starscream couldn't help but ask.

~More complicated,~ Thundercracker pushed aside the question as his spark pressed forward, seeking something very specific from Starscream's. Not the consent that Starscream knew would be asked for, but that he was in his right processors--that he was himself.

He pressed that certainty forward and asked for the same of the pair above him, and it was readily given. It prompted the proper cues in their processors to allow them to form the trine bond. It was a familiar change for the Order and Action, and their familiarity allowed Starscream to settle into the intense focus and reprioritization of the pair more easily.

It didn't prepare him for the way the click of the trine bond also clicked other coding into place. Creator coding. He watched, felt, as all his objections to carrying dissolved to the point he could no longer recall why he didn't want to with such vehemence. Well that was annoying. 

Then the merge was pulling back by Thundercracker's intent, leaving all three of their systems charged and unhappy. Skywarp whined, but Thundercracker was steady. Starscream groaned as his chamber closed and tucked away, back arching and fingers digging into the ground. He gave a harsh x-vent and looked up at his Order, amazed by how completely alien his own perception of the world suddenly was. He was no longer the center of it, but they, the three of them, were.

"There, you are no longer broadcasting," Thundercracker told him as he stood and reached for Skywarp's hand and pulled the black Seeker into a kiss. "We'll finish in the sky," he murmured softly to his mate.

Starscream gave a short, needy whine as he looked up at them.

"Get used to the price of your arrogance and plans," Thundercracker told him, and then the pair was gone. Starscream hissed and snarled and rolled over, clawing at the ground as the charge ran through him.

In the sky, Skywarp whined as he saw his Vision's distress, but Thundercracker's steady, reassuring field kept him flying. ::It's the trine coding making you want to go to him,:: he commed. ::Just focus on what an awful, arrogant glitch he was being. You'll get used to the code in time.::

Skywarp nuzzled his field against Thundercracker's in acceptance, calmed and steadied by his Order. 

* * *

Starscream was still sulking at Thundercracker's actions when he found the correct hovel that they had clamed for their proto-flock. He ducked his helm and wings to get through the grounder doorway, and as he straightened back up he found a dozen sets of optics and wings trained on him. 

"Ah," he said. "Hello." 

Murmurs and flicks of greeting answered him and someone pressed a cube of energon into his hands. 

"Is your trine coming?" someone asked, and Starscream singled the field out and felt a single Action, trine recently broken. 

"I sent them away," Starscream said. "My Action and my Vision weren't in the city, I told them to stay in Polyhex."

There was understanding in some, uncertainty in others, but no one challenged his choice. The Action that had spoken fluttered his wings in invitation with a hopeful look of recharging with a Seeker that wasn't from a broken trine.

Starscream hesitated for a moment--it wasn't that he didn't want to, these were what was left of his kin and he wanted to help them--but he'd never been good at the social niceties and the grief in their fields was overwhelming--and then he canted his wings in acceptance and followed the Action. 

He needed to act like an Order, he reminded himself. How did Orders act, besides bossy? It almost didn't seem to matter, though. The berth was real, though of limited quality. It was still better than he'd had for much of his adult existence. The moment they were there the Action all but pulled him down and pressed close, simply wanting contact. There was quickly another Action against his back, and an Order draped half over him. He forced himself to stay relaxed and curled with the others, touching as many of them as he could so they could have direct plating contact. It was strange to be treated like an Order by them. They were cuddling to him like an equal, instead of covering him to protect. Starscream decided that he liked it.

A wing twitched as a pair of mecha entered the room with a soft whoosh of displaced air rather than the door. He looked over to see his Order and his Action standing there and it took actual force to not go to them. Their wings needed to be cleaned and they would need fuel and rest, and more than that, Starscream desperately wanted to _cuddle_ with them. 

In a distantly removed part of his processors, he was fascinated by how significantly they were perceived. Not _clearer_ , exactly, but their inherent importance was elevated. His focus was fixed and it took a freeze command on his wings to keep them from reacting. Thundercracker gave only the smallest hint of a reaction, but Skywarp was an open datapad. The black Seeker was locked onto him, evaluating and visibly jealous.

"You're new," Thundercracker spoke, looking directly at him.

The others all tensed, looking at Starscream. They'd all assumed he'd come by Thundercracker's permission and direction. 

"I needed shelter," Starscream said. "Someone told me this flock would take me. Are you Thundercracker?"

"Yes. This is my flock. Who are you?" he demanded, yet his wingset and tone were even, accepting despite the situation as it appeared to others.

"Starscream," he carefully lowered his wings into a neutral hold, appearing to await the flock Order's decision.

Thundercracker flicked his wings in acceptance and everyone relaxed. "Then welcome to my flock, Starscream. Come. We should talk."

Starscream waited a beat, then inclined his helm--he wasn't certain of his ability to control his wings right now, answering his Order--and untangled himself from the pile on the berth. 

A few of the others went to greet Thundercracker and Skywarp while Starscream was getting up, and they suddenly trilled in surprise. 

"You have a Vision?" a brown and blue Vision asked.

"Knock Out," Thundercracker answered. "She needed the stability for the creations she carried. She's already in Kaon with some of the others."

Understanding hums and flicks answered him and Starscream straightened fully, fluttering his tense, uncomfortable wings out and looking at Thundercracker, waiting for his lead. It took a couple kliks for Thundercracker to extract himself from the update chatter and guide Starscream to a private room in the back of the ruined building. The moment they were visually clear of other Seekers Skywarp was pressed against Starscream's back, his hands roving over the Vision's plating in an effort to familiarize himself and reaffirm their connection.

Starscream hissed at him, but it was an automatic reaction to being touched and held no heat. "You've never had a trine before," he realized, voice low and engines humming with the contentment of having his Action protecting his back.

"Neither have you," Thundercracker shrugged. "Which means I'm the only one with a clue what's going on. I was not expecting you to reside with us."

"It seemed the easiest way to recharge with you every third night," Starscream said, and turned his head with a low chirr in response to Skywarp's nuzzle at the back of his neck. "I did not realize how small the accommodations were."

"It's temporary. Within the next few orns only those actively searching will stay. We'll all relocate to Kaon in another decaorn," Thundercracker explained, then gave into his coding and stepped closer to run his hands along Starscream's cockpit to the chest vents, then up to the long wedges of the shoulder vernts.

"Just you remember that this is a business arrangement and nothing more," Starscream said with a warning flick. "I _know_ that this is just coding talking."

"So?" Skywarp trilled. "You don't want to break a trine bond. Trust me, it _sucks_."

"We'll see what happens when this is all over," Starscream said, then x-vented and relaxed back against his Action while his hands moved up to Thundercracker's wings, mapping the expanses with his fingers. "And anyway how would _you_ know?"

"Besides what happened to TC?" Skywarp huffed before nibbling on Starscream's neck. "Ours broke briefly."

"Part of that long story that isn't your business while we aren't your trine," Thundercracker said.

Starscream rolled his optics. "Fine, I don't care anyway." His fingers found Thundercracker's ailerons and stroked over them. They pressed into his touch even as Skywarp's touch became distinctly amorous and Thundercracker leaned in to kiss him, demand and invitation in one. Starscream pressed back into it, their cockpits crushing together. "We'll at least you've come to your fragging senses," he said when Skywarp turned his head away to demand his own kiss.

"You deserved it last time," Thundercracker rumbled, his arousal building quickly. "Don't be a glitch and we'll treat you well."

" _I_ offered you a deal, you didn't have to say yes," Starscream said, purring and rubbing up and down between them.

"Shutup," Skywarp grumbled as he reached around to grab Thundercracker and pulled him sideways for a kiss, something that was returned with relish and shot molten heat though both their systems, surrounding Starscream with a taste of the difference between trine desire and genuine passion. The move also pulled Thundercracker's hand from Starscream's hip to rub against his spike cover.

"Mm-mm," Starscream hummed a negative and shifted Thundercracker's hand lower, down to his valve. "And I will not _shut up_ ," he informed Skywarp as he reached back to press his palm over the Action's pelvis.

"Yes, you will," Thundercracker shifted to claim Starscream's mouth to insist on it, and Starscream suddenly didn't care that he'd been told to do something and the burning desire to be contrary and chatter the whole way subsided. He x-vented into the kiss and Thundercracker gave an approving rumble at the silence. 

Between him and Skywarp, they got Starscream turned around and Skywarp's mouth took Thundercracker's place. Then strong hands were guiding Starscream down, pinning him between his trinemates with Skywarp under him and Thundercracker over him. Starscream's hands went to Skywarp's shoulders and he gripped them to hold himself steady, hips moving up and back at the smallest brush from Thundercracker.

"Hope you have a big spike," Skywarp moaned as his valve cover slid open and he rocked up against his Vision. "I'm spoiled."

"Flatterer," Thundercracker trilled as he released his spike.

Starscream scowled at Skywarp and opened his mouth to retort about how petty it was to compare spike sizes when he felt Thundercracker's come up between his legs, nudging against his plating, and the planned words vanished. "Well," he said, as he took in what Thundercracker had to offer. It was definitely not a standard model, and while it was nothing compared to the shuttle who'd taken Starscream's seal, it was larger than average.

Skywarp grinned at him. "Told you so," he said. "C'mon, I won't laugh." 

"No, you won't," Starscream said, with a warning rattle, and shifted between Skywarp's legs to press up against him and let his spike pressurize. The black Seeker moaned deeply, eager to be filled and for the pleasure of it.

"He just likes to feel good," Thundercracker rumbled against Starscream's audial as his spike continued to rub against Starscream's valve cover. "Open up."

Starscream hummed and pressed forward a little more into Skywarp, feeling and exploring before he obeyed. Not that it was hard--his cover snapped back without effort and he was eager and slick for his Order. It didn't hurt at all that his Order had a good spike and was probably good at using it. He moaned and fluttered his wings as the thick spike pressed into him, slowly at first so they both got a feel for the other's size, then fully in a single smooth stroke.

Starscream groaned, gripping Skywarp's shoulder vents. "Yeah--not bad," he said, trying to sound casual. "Not like a Shuttle but not bad."

"What about a shuttle?" Thundercracker groaned as he pulled out.

"You fragged a shuttle?" Skywarp asked, grinning. Starscream smirked back and hummed an affirmative before dipping down to kiss his Action. Skywarp pulled his legs up and back, purring.

"Why?" Thundercracker frowned as he drove his hips forward.

"Why _not?_ " Starscream asked, wings canting and shuddering in pleasure as Thundercracker struck.

"It's not a Seeker," Thundercracker's tone echoed his confusion as he began to thrust, driving Starscream into Skywarp.

"Mmm, no, observant of you," Starscream said, nuzzling against Skywarp's neck as bond between Action and Vision started to form and settle. "Never really cared about that."

Thundercracker's field flickered with confusion, then settled as he simply accepted it as a quirk of his Vision, much like he accepted Skywarp's similar lack of Seeker-centric thinking. He reached up to grip the joints of Starscream's wings and began a hard, deep rhythm that Skywarp adored so much.

His Action groaned and reached around Starscream's frame to grab for Thundercracker, flaring his field to his Order's plating. Thundercracker pressed back and Starscream realized without any doubt that he was caught between mates. He ducked his head down, focusing on the physical and the strange new trine bond, letting the other two focus on each other. In his bizarre new perception of the world, doing what he could to let these two connect was more important than being the center of attention. 

At least, _some_ of the time.

It only made him all the more curious about them. Mates, and mates with a strong connection, yet one barely knew how to fly and the other was a high ranking Air Martial that was good in the air. They hadn't been together long in any context, yet they knew each other well. How Skywarp's age could work mixed into the puzzle kept Starscream distracted until the Action's moans began to pull him back. 

"TC," Skywarp gasped, and his wings shuddered. "Is this--is this--"

Starscream was starting to feel the same thing, a calming sort of code washing through his processor, centered in on the two around him, three glyphs echoing through his wings. 

_Order. Action. Trine._

"This is Trine," Thundercracker said, and the last of his control vanished. 

Starscream felt the jet of transfluid as something _locked_ in his processors and he screeched out. The overload washed over him and through him, his trinemates lost in the same perfect moment.

And then he felt something that made him startle and twist, but Thundercracker and Skywarp's grips kept him between them, and their calmness kept him from panicking.

And then he yelped as cold air hit his plating and his sensors screamed of free fall.

" _Skywarp_." Thundercracker's annoyed growl rumbled through them.

"Sorry!" Skywarp replied and then they were back in the room.

"He does that sometimes when he gets too excited," Thundercracker ruffled his plating and settled into lying on top of his trinemates with a content sound.

"That's ... interesting," Starscream said, looking into Skywarp's optics. 

His Action gazed back, still and calm for a moment before he looked to Thundercracker and purred, stroking his mate's plating. "I like this." 

"I ... should go back," Starscream said. "Before they wonder..."

"You don't have to..." Skywarp didn't want to lose this.

"No, he doesn't, but he should," Thundercracker reluctantly agreed, just as loathe to move from their triad pile as his mate. He nuzzled Starscream's neck and lifted himself off to flop to the side. "Not that any of them will doubt what we were just doing."

Starscream sat up and resettled his plating, rolling his wings out to unlock the trine-cant that they seemed stubbornly determined to settle in. "So long as they don't suspect _why_ ," he said, and pulled out of Skywarp. "Do you have a cloth?"

Thundercracker handed him one and Starscream reached down between his legs to clean himself enough to be presentable. "Will this count as one of nights I am required to recharge with you?" he asked mildly.

"No," Thundercracker said firmly. "Recharge means recharge."

Starscream dipped his wings in acceptance. "Then in the next two nights," he said before heading back out into the open space and the proto-flock.

The Action he'd been curled up with earlier hadn't moved and as soon as he saw Starscream his helm and wings lifted up hopefully. Starscream chirred, low and deep in his chassis and moved back over to him, crawling onto the berth. Hands reached out from all around to press against his plating--more had arrived since he'd left with Thundercracker and Skywarp--but was relieved to teek at least one unbroken trine among the newcomers. They were surrounding a carrying and broken Vision, cleaning his wings and trilling to him.

Thundercracker and Skywarp followed not long after, settling down on the ground with some of the other flock members who were huddled there. Skywarp stared at Starscream openly until Thundercracker cuffed his leg to draw his attention. The older Order didn't so much as look at Starscream.

Skywarp huffed and tucked his helm against his Order's neck. He didn't know these Seekers, not really, and they were draped all over _his_ Vision. Where _he_ was supposed to be. He _did not_ like it. 

Thundercracker just sighed and rubbed his Action's wings in soothing circles, trying to keep him calm. He was used to the pull and knew how to resist it, but that didn't make him any more comfortable with the situation.

Maybe this hadn't been such a good idea after all.


	7. Settling in Kaon

"This'll be a lot better when it's opened up," Skywarp grumbled even as he flopped down on the berth formed of large pillows. It was the nicest berth they'd shared since reuniting.

"Though for tonight it will make a nice retreat for the three of us," Thundercracker agreed as he settled next to his mate and kissed him softly. "It will be nice to just be the three of us all night."

"Yes," Skywarp sighed, pulling Thundercracker close. They were in their new home in Kaon, where flocks had been assigned to whole floors of apartment buildings set aside for their use. Megatron had made sure to tell each flock Order that they were allowed to tear down walls separating the rooms, and outer walls. Specialists would be on hand to help and ensure that no structural damage was done, but right now, it was late and their flock just wanted to rest. It had been a very long flight from Vos.

Being in such a small indoor room was unsettling, but Thundercracker knew they were all going to have to make some changes and get used to ceilings. There simply weren't enough open roof spaces in Kaon for all the Seeker refugees. 

Right now, he was just looking forward to be able to be _trine_ without worrying about the gaze of the flock. The door opened and Starscream strolled in, looking around the room after locking the entrance behind him. "Decent sized," he decided approvingly. "Though I'm sure you're going to tear the walls down."

"This floor will be completely opened up, with one room for those that wish some privacy," Thundercracker flicked his wings in agreement even as he greeted his Vision with a raking gaze to confirm that he was still in good condition. "Tonight though, is for grooming, recharge and talking if we need to."

"Nn. There can't be anything more to talk about," Starscream said, stopping in the middle of the room and cocking his helm at them. "Certainly nothing that hasn't already been said."

"I don't know," Skywarp trilled at him with a sultry look. "Sometimes talking about what you want means you get it."

"He has something of a one track processor," Thundercracker rolled his optics, but his tone and wings spoke of fondness. "Though it's true. I'm sure you have preferences. Now come over. We all need a good grooming."

"Ah, well if it's _that_ kind of talking then I will happily grace you with my participation," Starscream said as his wings lifted proudly. He joined them on the berth and immediately felt more relaxed when Skywarp pulled him against them, nuzzling and stroking, checking closer for injury. It wasn't the over-controlling manner that had annoyed him so often. Yes, the processor-less wonder was grabby, but it was in the selfish way that Starscream understood very well how to manipulate.

Thundercracker wasn't as simple a subject, but Starscream knew he was smarter, more manipulative and creative than the Air Martial. A mecha who at the moment was not being subtle at all when he turned his back to Starscream and flattened his wings to make cleaning and polishing them easier.

"Demanding," Starscream clicked, but he did pull cloth, cleanser and polish from subspace and shifted so he could reach the Order. "Skywarp, help me." He privately admitted that it was nice that the Action obeyed without hesitation. He didn't want to admit that it felt good to be tending to his Order, to feel the blue Seeker relax under his hands and teek how much he enjoyed the touch.

"So are you," Thundercracker murmured as the aches and tension of the brutally long flight were worked out of him by the care of his trine. "You know you'll get your turn too."

Starscream shrugged. "Yes but I see no reason why it should not come first," he said, a reply more of habit than anything else, because he really was finding this process enjoyable. He hadn't really groomed anyone's wings in vorns and it brought back familiar, comforting memories. It was nice to pretend like Thundercracker trusted him enough for this, though without the trine bond Starscream was sure he wouldn't have been allowed in this close. "You have very broad wings," he murmured thoughtfully.

"My creator-trine's Action was a military fighter-bomber. I inherited my wings from him," Thundercracker trilled at the complement to himself and his creators.

"Yours are so sleek," Skywarp leaned over to nuzzle one. "You're so fast on them."

"Mhmm," Starscream hummed, engines warming proudly. "I am very gifted." He carefully ran a corner of the cloth through one of the plating seams, pushing out the dust that had gathered there during the flight. It had done more to wear his paint away and he looked a slate blue from a distance now. "You can show me some of the techniques you were using."

"I will," Thundercracker promised as he relaxed further into the bonding ritual. "I know you aren't one who will remain behind when the war calls us. You need to know how to fight and fight well."

"That, I'm sure, will be easily accomplished," Starscream said. He glanced at Skywarp. "You could stand some lessons yourself. You can't just teleport to correct every time you hit turbulence."

The black Seeker huffed, but Thundercracker made a resigned sound. "What do you think I'll be doing with the other half of my time? He doesn't fly badly for only having a vorn of air under his wings."

"Hey, it wasn't like I was ground-bound the _entire_ time I wasn't with you," Skywarp grumbled.

"Just 98% of it," Thundercracker countered. "If I'm being generous."

" _And_ I flew when I was a mechling," Skywarp said. He paused. "Sometimes." 

"Obviously not frequently or with decent instructors," Starscream said mildly.

Skywarp hissed sharply, his wings rattling in anger, and Starscream's immediately ducked down as he flinched away with some shock.

"He didn't have anyone after his mechling upgrades," Thundercracker warned Starscream quietly. "They were murdered."

"...Ah," Starscream said. "I ... am sorry. Didn't your flock...?"

" _Everyone_ he had was murdered," Thundercracker reiterated stiffly. "He was on his own until Vos finally found him and assigned him to me to socialize."

Starscream peered at Skywarp, who glared back, tense and waiting. 

And then Starscream's wings lifted in a shrug. "So Vos wasn't home for you," he said. 

Skywarp shook his helm. 

"Me either," Starscream said, returning to rubbing Thundercracker's wings.

"By choice. You rejected Vos and your kind," Thundercracker tried not to hiss, though he did manage to keep the thought that Starscream didn't deserve to live to himself.

"I didn't _reject_ anyone, I went where the best opportunities were," Starscream said. "It isn't my fault Vos is so xenophobic." 

" _Was_ ," Thundercracker said. 

"...Was," Starscream said.

Skywarp was quiet for a long klik as they focused on finishing Thundercracker's wings and shifted to work on Starscream's. "You did reject them," he said quietly. "You grew up in Vos, had a home there, and don't call it home. It _was_ your home, and you say it isn't."

"Fine," Starscream said, shrugging. "I'm a dirty traitor, have it your way. What's _your_ story, anyway?"

"My creator-trine fled to Tarn long before I was kindled," Skywarp shrugged. "They never said why."

"Ah, so I'm not the only Seeker whose utopia was not in our breeding grounds," Starscream said. "Did you leave Thundercracker after being _properly socialized_ , then?"

"No," Skywarp said, and Starscream felt Thundercracker's hands tense on his wings.

"If you think he's properly socialized you're even more out of touch with being Seeker than I thought," Thundercracker grumbled. "I only had a vorn."

"Oh, his manners are awful," Starscream said, and purred when Skywarp rubbed the central wing joint. "His cants are blunt and obvious, half the time his angle is muddled and rude, he _stares_ ... it's a wonder no one's realized what I am yet."

"I'm right here you glitch," Skywarp growled and tweaked the joint just hard enough to cause discomfort but not actual pain. He couldn't bring himself to _hurt_ his Vision.

Starscream hissed at him. "Well it's true," he said. "I don't hear you denying it." 

"Doesn't mean you have to be a glitch about it," Skywarp growled.

"Of course the solution is to teach him better manners so he doesn't give you away," Thundercracker suggested, just short of the order he wanted to make it.

"Ah, good, I was hoping you would reach that conclusion before I had to point it out," Starscream said, stretching forward and purring as the attention continued.

"Good, then be sure you keep at least three joors an orn clear to train him to act like a Seeker and fly, and another six an orn for me to teach you to fight," Thundercracker said firmly.

"Wha-- _me?_ " Starscream said, voice jumping up with indignation. "That is _not_ what we just agreed on!"

"You are the one who actually objects to my manners," Skywarp snickered. "TC knows what I used to be like and how lucky he is at my improvement."

Thundercracker smirked, an expression that showed through his entire frame and field. "You agreed he needed to be taught better manners. I work on him thirty or more joors an orn. You can put in three."

"I'll put in one," Starscream said. "And that is being _plenty_ generous with my valuable time." 

"Do you want to be trine or not?" Thundercracker asked him, pinching his wingtip. "We _help_ each other. That's the _point_. If you aren't agreeable, you can find another pair to play your game. _If_ you manage to get anywhere without others realizing what you are." 

Starscream huffed. "Fine, all right, three."

Thundercracker relaxed at that and settled into working on Starscream's wings. It was disturbing that the paint was still perfect, unscratched by a mourning flight. It made Thundercracker wonder, once more, about his choice to support the Vision's bid for power. He could understand going to where your function demanded. He honestly didn't feel there was anything wrong with Starscream moving to Iacon for his career, even if it was odd to go without a trine to support him. But not to mourn Vos or his creator-trine made him uneasy in ways he couldn't fully express and had no one to even try to express them to.

"What's with _that_ teek?" Starscream asked, looking over his shoulder.

"Your finish is clean," Thundercracker hoped it explained well enough, even if he doubted it.

For once, it was Skywarp who had the words. "You haven't mourned anyone. You're shiny. Looks funny."

"Their chambers were already taken up," Starscream said, looking to the side. "I don't have anyone to go with."

Thundercracker's field smoothed and saddened. "We'll fly with you," he offered.

"Yeah. That's what trine does." Skywarp chimed in, even if he didn't understand as well. He glanced at Thundercracker. "...Right?"

"Right," Thundercracker said, smiling at his mate.

"Won't it wear your finish away too fast?" Starscream asked, but his wings canted to show how hopeful he was.

"No one can fault us for an extra flight," Thundercracker insisted as he leaned forward to nuzzle Starscream. "Everyone has lost enough to wear their finish off before landing."

Starscream nodded. "Agreed," he sighed, and lay his head down in his arms. "During our next training outing."

"Agreed," Thundercracker said softly and fell silent again, focusing on the social bonding of grooming and how soothing it was.

When they finished working on Starscream's wings they shifted to Skywarp and got their Action chirring and strutless just from the simple rubbing. 

"I like this," Skywarp sighed. 

"You have gorgeous wings," Starscream said, tracing the patterns.

"Really?" Skywarp couldn't manage to look, but his field expressed his surprised pleasure.

"Mhmm." Starscream touched a particularly worn out spot. "I'm sure it looks spectacular with smooth finish. Will you have it painted the same?"

"Likely," Thundercracker said quietly. "He doesn't have any unit markings. Mine are mine by right unless I give them up."

Starscream glanced at him, then turned back to Skywarp's wings and the grooming, focusing in on it until Skywarp was very nearly in recharge. 

His Action. 

Starscream rubbed the back of his neck, enjoying the quiet calm. "When do you think you'll get painted?" he murmured to Thundercracker.

"I'm going to caution him against repainting too soon. Not before a vorn. I don't know how long I'll take," he murmured. "I can't think about it. Not yet. Not anywhere close to being ready to move on. My city, my flocks, my trine, my creation, my coworkers ... I still haven't grasped everything that's gone."

Starscream nodded, gazing at Skywarp. "Still too much to think about," he said. "Lay down with us?"

"Yes," Thundercracker trilled quietly and drew Starscream into the classic Vision position between Action and Order, tucked beneath their wings, but even though the move held a bit of insistence it held none of the domineering teek that Starscream was used to. Thundercracker needed him there simply because he _needed_. And for once in his life, Starscream was happy to give without complaint.

* * *

Thundercracker stood with Starscream and Skywarp on top of the partially converted eyrie that their flock resided in, watching some of the surviving Air Martials performing basic maneuvers for practice. The other full trine in their flock, all of them former military, was also watching. 

::Acid Storm is looking at me strangely,:: Starscream commed Thundercracker, frowning back at the green Order. 

Thundercracker glanced over. ::You're canting your wings like a Vision looking at an Order,:: he said. ::You need to cant them like mine.::

Starscream's optics widened and he immediately fluttered them out, going for the appearance that he'd been stretching, then settled them carefully back to the way Thundercracker's were positioned. It was a difference of no more than a micron, and Acid Storm looked at him for another few moments before looking back into the sky.

::If you can remember to hold them right, it won't hurt you in the long flight,:: Thundercracker continued. ::I'm giving much the same story as I do with Skywarp. You are badly undersocialized and spent a lot of time alone outside of Vos. It'll earn you odd looks and unease, but not nearly as much as the full truth.::

Starscream nodded in understanding as he watched the Air Martials land, and then followed Thundercracker up to repeat the maneuvers. Skywarp warped up and Thundercracker immediately circled back around and made him land and take off without using his spark gift. 

::But why do I even have to know how?:: Skywarp complained.

::Because you need to know how to _fly_.:: Thundercracker insisted. ::You may not always have the energon to use your gift so freely. Remember?::

Skywarp huffed. ::Yeah, I remember,:: he said, and came in level with Thundercracker and Starscream. ::Now what?::

::Get into position.:: Thundercracker pinged them the spacing and angles to keep from him.

::I am _not_ flying in the Vision's place!:: Starscream screeched indignantly.

::This is a military formation, Starscream,:: Thundercracker reminded him. ::The posts are different. Leader is in front, you're flying Third, and Skywarp is flying Second. Not Order, Vision, Action.::

::Why is _he_ Second?:: Starscream asked, not quite willing to give the point up.

::Because that is where I tell him to be this time,:: Thundercracker growled his engines at Starscream, reminding the young Vision of his capabilities. ::I am the trine leader. I tell you where to fly. Now get into place before you further embarrass yourself.::

::Ugh.:: Starscream banked and came up beneath Thundercracker's wing on the left. He was sullenly silent while they followed through the movements, copying what they'd been watching. This half of the exercise was largely for Skywarp, since Starscream picked up the flight techniques with irritating speed. ::When are we going to learn something _useful?_ :: the Vision asked after a while.

::When I say so,:: Thundercracker snapped at him as he made a slow barrel roll for them to follow while keeping position to him. ::No Order worth the title would be so intolerant of their trine. Your coding is as terrible as his skill, but _skill_ can be improved.::

:: _My_ coding is flawless,:: Starscream said, plating rattling indignantly. ::It just isn't Order coding, which is _hardly_ my fault.::

::Given the role you intend to play, it is flawed. If you want to be taken seriously as an Order, you must act the part perfectly,:: Thundercracker insisted as he began to loop around the various towers at higher speed. He had to correct Skywarp several times per klik, but by the time he shot straight up the black Seeker was fairly steady in his post.

When they were done with the agility lessons, Thundercracker had them both land and signaled for the military trine to begin their formations to watch the battle formations and mock dogfights. 

::Ever think about military?:: Starscream asked Thundercracker.

::Quite seriously. My creator-Action was military, as were several others in our flock,:: he answered even as he kept a sharp optic on the movements and tactics of the military trines. ::I decided to go Air Martial like my creator-Action's mate when I understood that I preferred law enforcement over combat. They have a fair amount in common, though. Including flying with those you are not trined to and flight trines that include two Actions or two Orders, or even three of one type.::

Starscream hummed. ::Are you interested in command now?::

::Not in truth,:: Thundercracker admitted, his crushing grief audible. ::Not so long as there are Seekers better suited for it than I.::

::You made some kind of command in the Air Martials, didn't you?:: Starscream asked, glancing at him.

::Captain,:: Thundercracker confirmed. ::It is not the same as leading in war. In war you lose entire flights in a battle. You order slaughter. In this you will order the slaughter of civilians and prisoners. There is no honor in what is coming.::

:: _Please_ it's not about honor,:: Starscream said, smirking. ::It's about _glory_. Showing those Iacon scum what they deserve.::

Thundercracker's wings gave a deeply insulting flick of disgust and the line went dead. Despite what was directed at Starscream, his field teeked of how personally insulted he felt at Starscream's comment. 

Starscream stared openly at him before shrugging and resettling his wings out of their surprised hike. ::What's _his_ problem,:: he said. 

::I think you fragged him off,:: Skywarp supplied. 

:: _Obviously_ I fragged him off,:: Starscream said with a dismissive flick. ::But why?::

::Maybe 'cause you're a huge jerk,:: Skywarp said cheerfully.

::He's an arrogant mechling with no grasp of what 'glory' means.:: Thundercracker commed Skywarp, though it wasn't secured, which though both knew meant Starscream almost had to pick it up as well, no matter how impolite it was.

:: _You're_ the one who doesn't even want command,:: Starscream cut in predictably with a shrug. ::The frag do you care what I deem glorious?::

::Since you intend to be my commanding officer, your morals, honor and reasons for command are very much my concern.::

::You are _intensely_ annoying, has anyone ever told you that?:: Starscream questioned.

::Only because you do not have a valid answer to counter me with,:: Thundercracker replied.

::I refer to you my previous response,:: Starscream snipped back at him, and it didn't escape his notice that Skywarp had very casually shifted between them. ::I will work diligently for Megatron and I will gain him victories. _That_ is all you need to know.::

::Yes, it is. It tells me you will lead our race to extinction if it fuels your need for glory,:: Thundercracker's engines growled deep and dangerous. ::It means you are a danger to all who would follow you. It means you are incapable of looking beyond yourself and your need for validation to care about your flock.::

Starscream's wings started a threat-rattle before he visibly stilled them and throttled his engines back. ::What part of _victory_ is not caring about the flock?::

::The part where glory is more important than honor.:: Thundercracker settled his engines slightly. ::There is no glory in war, Starscream. Only death, pain and hatred. Until you understand that, you can not guide and protect your flock from it.::

::Well then if there isn't honor, and there isn't glory, _what_ is there?:: Starscream asked. ::In _your_ opinion.::

::Death, pain and hatred,:: Thundercracker repeated. ::Nothing good comes of war.::

Starscream peered at him, then his wings flicked and he looked back at the sky with a shrug. ::Then we'll have death, pain and hatred,:: he said. ::Doesn't mean we won't need leaders.::

::Need them yes. We need leaders who understand what's coming and how to keep enough of us alive to rebuild when it's all over. Just what are your plans for overcoming Iacon and the army?:: Thundercracker finally looked away from the displays to stare at his Vision.

::Pit, like anyone even knows that right now?:: Starscream rolled his optics. ::Seeing as how no one has even mobilized an army or _declared open war_ how is anyone supposed to have an answer for _that?_ No. Right now is for getting every willing Seeker up to fighting strength. If we're lucky, Lord Megatron will sway them before the need for open war ever arises.::

::So that is your plan, to gain command and hope we don't have to fight?:: Thundercracker sneered rather openly. ::Even I have a better plan than that, and I'm not in line for command.::

::It's a work in progress,:: Starscream snapped at him. ::Who said that anyone must have a winning war strategy _right now_ , anyway?::

Thundercracker stared at him, then shook his helm. ::Anyone who wants to see the end of the war. Just keep in your processor that no battle plan survives first contact with the enemy.::

::I will,:: Starscream said seriously, surprising him, then looked up as the military trine vacated the sky and launched up into the air.

* * *

"TC. Hey TC! Get up!" 

The hushed, insistent whisper finally worked its way into Thundercracker's processors and he forced his unwilling optics online to look blearily up at Skywarp. His Action didn't teek alarmed or worried, but his wings were set with some amount of urgency that concerned him. "What?" he mumbled, distracted by all the scrolling notices about tight wires and overworked thrusters from the previous orn's training. 

"You gotta come see something," Skywarp said excitedly, tugging on his arm.

Thundercracker reluctantly forced his frame to finish powering up and allowed his Action to drag him along. He had just enough time to look around and check on the flock and realize that his Vision was not among them before Skywarp teleported him out of the eyrie. He looked around and saw what looked like a library or archive of some kind, and had just enough time to wonder why they were here before Skywarp motioned for silence and beckoned him to follow.

::He hasn't noticed me yet,:: Skywarp said, whispering even over the comm as he peeked his helm around a corner. 

Thundercracker leaned around to look and saw Starscream sitting on the floor, surrounded by haphazard piles of datapads and holding a portable workstation that he was occasionally pausing to enter notes into. His other hand held a datapad that he was skimming through.

::They're all about military history and strategy from what I can tell,:: Skywarp added. ::He was watching vids of old battles between Kaon and Iacon for a while before.::

Thundercracker smiled faintly. ::So he listened. There's hope for the mechling yet.::

Skywarp's field brightened with pride for his Vision. ::He didn't sneak out until I pretended to be in recharge,:: he added a little guiltily. ::I think he'd be pissed if he knew I followed him.::

::I'm sure he would be,:: Thundercracker drew his Action back. ::Let's go back to recharge and leave him be. If he's ready to learn, don't interrupt him.::

::But ... he's all alone here,:: Skywarp protested. ::And he's out of it. Seriously, I knocked over this whole holo display thing when I warped in and he didn't even notice.::

::There are guards in the air. He's as safe here as he is with us,:: Thundercracker coaxed him. ::Come, recharge with me. He's doing what he needs to. We need recharge.::

::He needs recharge too,:: Skywarp grumbled but allowed himself to be drawn away and teleported them back to the eyrie. ::Don't like not being able to see him,:: the Action muttered unhappily, curling up with Thundercracker.

::I know, but he has chosen his path and we've agreed to it. We can't protect him like we'd like to.:: Thundercracker relaxed under the wing of his Action and in the company of a flock he was beginning to trust and form connections with. ::It's going to hurt and get worse before it gets better.::

Skywarp nodded and was quiet and still long enough for Thundercracker to nearly be in recharge. ::I bet Farcry was wonderful,:: he said suddenly and longingly.

::He was,:: Thundercracker felt the longing and loss rise again. ::Hardline? Share memories...::

Skywarp nodded quickly, eager for any glimpse at the life he'd come so close to. His cable was pressed into Thundercracker's hand and his Order's taken in turn before they exchanged permissions and lowered firewalls. 

~Bet he never did anything scary or risky,~ Skywarp said.

~Never. He was a proper Vision in every way. Dedicated to the eyrie, socializing and the next generation. He was everything Starscream is not and will never be.~ Thundercracker unpacked all his best memories of Farcry, including some that Skywarp recognized.

Skywarp trilled longingly as he watched Farcry playing with the flock sparklings in the eyrie, at once gentle and watchful, feeling desire blooming within him for the same. ~...I wouldn'ta been allowed to kindle with Farcry, would I?~ he murmured after a while.

~I would have allowed it. My eyrie, my trine, my rules.~ Thundercracker insisted. ~I wish I'd never been told of your heritage, but Target was right. It shouldn't have mattered. If we'd become trine then, it wouldn't have mattered.~

Skywarp nodded, curling tighter against his Order, and nudged him for more memories of Farcry. Thundercracker complied with a low, grief-filled trilling as he remembered his Vision, the one that had made his life fulfilling and rewarding.

* * *

Thundercracker frowned as he watched his batch of what were being called "trainees" dispersing for the orn. Relations with Iacon were getting tenser, and he couldn't help but wonder how no one seemed to have realized what Megatron was doing, because it looked fairly obvious to him that the former Gladiator was building an army. 

Or trying to, anyway. 

Most of the survivors from Vos came from the outer circles of the city, where the heat and radiation hadn't consumed them. They were lower class, often more thug-like than anything else, and plenty of them had been raised in the outer city gangs--flocks that were hostile to any outside their network, and who refused any higher command other than the flock Order. Criminals, some of them, or plain disobedient and sullen, others. They were more prone to fight than think, which, while potentially a positive in some places, would not do for Megatron's plan of Seekers being his commanders. 

Thundercracker was working entirely with Actions and Orders, with one exception: Starscream.

Starscream. A Vision pretending to be an Order. It made Thundercracker's wings rattle in frustration every time he gave it too much thought. Which right now, with Starscream headed his way, it was the only thing he was thinking of.

He felt the need building. Need to put his Vision in his place, even if only within the trine. Need to do so not with words or violence, but on his spike. It was enough to turn his tanks to think of pleasure in such a way, but it was the only real way he had to dominate his willful Vision and have it stay.

He hated it.

Yet near-rape was easier to handle than ignoring his Vision's dominant coding and leaving it unchecked, so he flew up to meet Starscream and grabbed a wing. Skywarp didn't need to be told what was happening. He simply grabbed them both and warped into the empty lands around Kaon, then let them both go to stand by and watch while his Order and Vision sort themselves out.

Thundercracker didn't give Starscream a moment to assess events. He simply slammed Starscream to the ground, on his back, and pinned him there as he ground their arrays together.

"Get _off_ me you _glitch_ ," Starscream snapped at him. His valve cover snapped back.

Thundercracker growled, his engines expressing all his frustrations at Starscream's dual role and he drove his spike fully into his Vision in a single thrust. Yet his attention was on keeping Starscream's wrists pinning his wings to the ground.

Starscream snarled back at him but he wasn't fighting. "What's--with-- _you?_ "

"You are a Vision." Thundercracker growled, his wings flicking in distress and frustration, but no anger. "I hate that you're so broken you want something else."

"I was _supposed_ to be an Order," Starscream ground out. "I _should_ have been an Order. But I'm not _broken_."

"You were _never_ to be an Order," Thundercracker snarled as his hips jammed forward. "From the moment you were sparked you were a Vision. That you believe otherwise proves you are completely broken. So has every other choice you've made in your pathetic life. You reject what you are. No sane mecha does that."

"I am _happy_ to be a Vision," Starscream growled, wrenching one of his arms free and grabbing Thundercracker around the shoulder, dragging his claws down. "I wouldn't have to reject it if anyone would respect a Vision in command."

"Then you aren't happy to be a Vision," Thundercracker snapped, then grunted as his charge built to a noticeable level. "Visions _do not lead_. Orders lead. Your code is bad if you _want_ to lead."

Starscream x-vented harshly, bucking against him. "Why can't I lead _and_ be a--nn, _frag!_ "

"Because it _is not done_ that way!" Thundercracker growled through his panting grunts. "It's not how we're coded!"

"Well--it-- _should be!_ " Starscream screeched before his back arched up and his claws tore gouges in armor as he overloaded. It was enough to drive Thundercracker into overload with him and the blue Seeker roared, his engines causing the ground and air all around them to vibrate with his power until he calmed somewhat and slumped forward.

"It is not. It is not natural. Not normal. Not _sane_ ," Thundercracker panted. "No Vision leads from the front. They rule from the eyries."

Starscream took a moment to pant through his loosened plating, gathering his wits. "Now let's get one thing straight," he growled. He hooked his hips around Thundercracker's waist and rolled, forcing his Order halfway onto his side. "I _want_ to be a Vision. I want an Order, I want an Action. Tell me _why_ that should have anything to do with what I do outside of my trine."

"Your trine will be flying and fighting with you. _Nothing_ happens outside the trine. Not in a real trine." Thundercracker tried to explain even as he came to grips, once more, of just how scrambled Starscream's socialization was. It was far worse than Skywarp's in many ways. Skywarp was young and crude, but Starscream was _confused_.

"Would you try to stop your Vision from furthering his career?" Starscream demanded. "Running a university, teaching, researching, publishing?" 

"Running a university is an Order's work. The rest, of course not," Thundercracker said. 

Starscream stared at him. "You are _hideously_ old fashioned," he said, and rocked his hips once, hard, bucking on Thundercracker's spike and rather effectively distracting him.

Thundercracker claimed his mouth, hard, needing to dominate in interfacing if nowhere else. The need and turmoil crashed across Starscream's awareness through their fields as he was pushed to his back once more. When the kiss broke Thundercracker's cry was only a hint of pleasure in the backdrop of his despair and the surrendering of so much of what he believed in for the sake of his trine and his people. 

He felt Starscream's field pressing out and hands on either side of his helm as his Vision stopped fighting him and began rocking _with_ him. Their overload was quiet, gripping, and shivered out into their wings. When he could see again, Thundercracker looked down at his Vision, whose optics were dim and focused. 

" _Why?_ " Starscream asked. "Why should Visions be restricted?"

"We are all restricted. Each function has a purpose and the three together makes a trine strong," Thundercracker tried to explain, tried to express what simply _was_. "I will not carry. It's not my place. The Order cannot be grounded for so long. We don't have the coding to care for the very young that Visions do. You shouldn't have the political and leadership coding that I have. Neither of us have the aggression and violence that comes naturally to an Action. Seekers were designed to function in threes. Each role is needed for a trine to function. Two Orders and an Action can fly patrols together, can make a solid combat unit, but they can't make a _trine_. They can't make an eyrie. They can't raise creations. They're missing part of the whole."

Starscream was quiet for a long time before turning his head away. "You sound like a sparkling book."

"I came from a strong, stable flock," Thundercracker could only shrug. "It's difficult not to pity you for what you have no control over. I'm getting used to the idea though," he gave a soft look towards Skywarp, who trilled to him, wings lifting hopefully as the tension between his Order and Vision eased. "You are what you are." He looked down at Starscream once more. "Broken or not, you're both mine."

Starscream inclined his helm, optics fixed on Thundercracker's. He looked over to Skywarp, who finally came forward and knelt down next to his trine. "It takes a while," he said, stroking Starscream's helm. "I didn't get it either."

"Ugh. I _get_ it, all right? I just think it's archaic."

Skywarp just hummed. "Of course you do," he said indulgently. "You just picked an Order that thinks archaic is perfect. And he's got a stubborn streak a hic wide just like yours."

Starscream's wings twitched, startled, before he tossed his helm. "That means nothing," he said dismissively. "I _happen_ to be attracted to talent."

Thundercracker hummed. "Perhaps, but a less talented Order would have been easier to control," he murmured and leaned into to kiss Starscream softly before he reached to draw Skywarp against them into a trine snuggle. "Now, have you improved your plans and goals?"

"Mm?" Starscream nuzzled against Skywarp's neck, distracted. Skywarp purred and nuzzled back until Thundercracker cleared his vocalizer out sternly. He got a sheepish grin from his Action and an irritated scowl from his Vision.

"Well?" he pressed. 

" _Ugh._ " Starscream rolled his optics and settled for cuddling up to Skywarp. "The first priority is to get as many Seekers in fighting shape as possible."

"And when will the slaughter be enough?" Thundercracker asked pointedly.

"Depends on who's being slaughtered," Starscream said with a smirk. 

"Grounders." Thundercracker picked one with a scowl of disapproval.

"Until they surrender or are vanquished," Starscream said.

"And when it's your flock, your flight?" He asked more evenly.

"Every loss is unacceptable," Starscream said. "But some will be unavoidable."

"But when is it too much?" Thundercracker asked, calm and serious. "When does surrender become the better option?"

Starscream fidgeted. "Before the population can no longer rebuild," he said.

"Do you know how many are needed to manage that?" Thundercracker asked quietly, his frame relaxing as Skywarp rubbed his wings.

"Well, theoretically, twenty-seven," Starscream hummed. "To create newsparks whose energy signatures are dissimilar enough to kindle, while having enough to trine. But it would take perfect conditions and improbable chances, so at least several score is preferred."

"Nine Visions. There are still nine Visions, not counting you." Thundercracker murmured, shivering as everything inside him screamed at so few. "My direct-lineage flock had more than nine." He shook himself to settle his processors and distress. "Based on what?"

Starscream hummed and offered Thundercracker a hardline in order to add the visual charting as he demonstrated the needed percentage of differentiated spark energy to kindle, along with the added complication for the necessity of a trine. ~Older and younger generations would have to kindle, of course,~ he added at the end.

Thundercracker studied the charts, then accepted that it was beyond him. ~How long did it take to work that out?~

Starscream rolled his optics. ~How long did it take me to answer? It isn't _important_ , because if all goes well, we won't be down to twenty-seven.~

~It helps me understand just how smart you are,~ Thundercracker said simply. ~I would know my Vision.~

Starscream gave him a strange look. ~For the purpose of the war,~ he said, but he didn't sound certain.

~For trine. You will be the carrier of my creations if I survive this,~ Thundercracker told him seriously. ~No matter who our mates are, we will always be trine. Only death should break the bond we've created. I am your Order. I need to understand you.~

Next to them, Skywarp teeked the shifting mood and trilled questioningly. Thundercracker turned to catch his Action in a slow, deep kiss before he looked back at Starscream, whose gaze was bright and fixed. "What next?" 

"What ... what?" Starscream asked, distracted. 

"Strategy," Thundercracker said. 

Starscream hummed and continued on with what he'd come up with so far, talking until Skywarp was very nearly in recharge, though Thundercracker listened with unbroken attention the entire time. 

* * *

"What is he?" Skywarp growled as he looked down at the scene from above, stalking back and forth on the top of the nearest level building. 

"An Order," Thundercracker said evenly. He'd forced Skywarp up here to keep his growls and teek away from the others while Starscream was working on ground combat.

"Why are we tolerating this again?" the black Seeker hissed, his wings rattling in outrage until Thundercracker's hand on the tip of one stopped the display. "I should be down there. _You_ should be down there!"

"The should and right are dead and gone, Skywarp," Thundercracker murmured, the intense pain of that truth enough to distract the Action from watching their Vision fighting an Order. "Our Vision is a fighter. A warrior. As wrong as it is we must accept it for his sake and our own. He is not the first. He won't be the last."

Skywarp nodded and tried to remember that and settle. "This _feels wrong_ ," he growled.

"Because it is wrong," Thundercracker sighed. "We'll just have to learn to live with it, fight at his side and not protect him as a Vision, but as our commanding officer. Assuming he makes rank enough to matter."

"I hope he doesn't," Skywarp admitted guiltily, wings cringing from how livid he knew that sentiment would make Starscream. "Dunno even why, really, I just do."

"I know," Thundercracker murmured, rubbing soothing circles on his wings. "I know. A Vision in command goes against everything our race is coded for."

Skywarp huffed, then a low, dangerous growl came from his chassis as the Order that Starscream was fighting went for his wings. Thundercracker forcefully grabbed his wing and turned him away. "Hey!"

"We agreed to help him hide," Thundercracker said. "In return, we won't start to glitch. There aren't that many surviving Visions, and as much as I don't want to think about it, that's going to be a problem very soon. If we out him, it would be easy for him to break trine and find another trine happy to have him." For the sake of his Action, he wished he'd never agreed to the crazy plan. 

"...He wouldn't do that," Skywarp said uncertainly, wings drooping.

"He would. He has all the power right now. We need him far more than he needs us," Thundercracker said with far more certainty than he had. He had to protect his Action, and that meant convincing the simple, base-code driven mech that to survive as a trine meant forgetting that their Vision was a Vision while in public.

Skywarp whined at how much he didn't like the entire thing and turned back around to watch, gripping Thundercracker's wrist tight enough to hurt. The blue Seeker made no protest. His coding was screaming just as much, but he had better control over it and his wings. When Starscream slammed the Order he'd challenged to the ground, wings down, he felt himself relax. Skywarp relaxed in turn, but his gaze remained unwaveringly fixed on Starscream. 

As soon as the Order clicked his acknowledged defeat, Starscream looked up to his Order and Action, and met Skywarp's gaze. Skywarp's wings lifted and Starscream nodded. His Action needed reassurance, and damn him, he wanted to give it. It didn't take him long to return to the eyrie, and was a bit surprised to find only Skywarp there.

The few others who were lingering were huddled in their partial and proto trines and only looked up to flick their wings in greeting as Starscream passed by, going to Skywarp and kneeling down. "Hey, do you mind taking me over to medical?" he asked, while simultaneously comming, ::Take me somewhere private.::

Skywarp nodded rapidly and circled his fingers around Starscream's wrist, jumping them down several stories into one of the unused lower levels that still had individual rooms for those who needed them. Starscream immediately put his hands on either side of Skywarp's helm and touched their forehelms together, chirring reassuringly. He quickly found himself in Skywarp's embrace as the Action's field flared out. Skywarp was mostly calm now, but his hands still moved over every bit of plating and wings he could reach, feeling for damage and clicking unhappily at what he found.

"I hate that you have to fight," Skywarp muttered.

"I know," Starscream said, holding very still and loosening plating where Skywarp asked for it with his fingers, completely unresisting to an inspection he would have hissed off not long ago. "I know I'm not exactly a top choice Vision."

"You're _my_ Vision. All that matters," Skywarp replied, his touch soothing Starscream in a strange way. Physical proof that someone cared about him. "We're both undesirable to most." He rambled as he relaxed, reassured that the damage was limited. "Most don't matter. Only us. Only trine."

"Mm." Starscream waited until Skywarp's hands settled on his waist and relaxed against him, letting his Action bring his wing over to protect and shield. "Other than your flight technique needing improvement, you seem like a strong, desirable Action. You're loyal, if unusually young. Why undesirable?"

There was a moment of hesitation, but Skywarp didn't even know how to keep a secret from _trine_. Not when directly asked like that. "I'm not exactly Seeker. Legally. It's a secret though. Only you and TC know."

" _Really_." Starscream cocked his head as his wings canted in some surprise and thought, and then he offered Skywarp a hardline to lessen the risk of the discussion. ~But there isn't a single flaw in your coding or frame, not that I've seen,~ he said. ~The taint must be very limited.~

~My carrier. He was a Vision by coding, but not Seeker by law. It's why I grew up in Tarn. My creators couldn't trine in Vos. I didn't know until after I trined with TC, after the attack,~ he held onto Starscream tightly, memories flickering of those awful moments where his Order admitted what he'd known and done more than six centuries before. ~He was so horrified to find out. Really angry too, at his CO. Don't really understand it all.~

~I see,~ Starscream said slowly, trying to catch a better glimpse of the flickering memories and finding it frustratingly difficult. Skywarp's operational processor functions were bizarre enough to be alien, all surrounded by one of the most traditionally-written Seeker codes that Starscream had ever seen. ~Your creators were ... killed in Tarn?~ he asked cautiously.

~Yeah. Not long after my mechling upgrades. It sucked big time,~ Skywarp muttered, hurting more for that loss than the loss of Vos. ~Why'd you leave home? For real.~

Starscream huffed, supposing it was fair to answer a question for the one he'd asked. ~Many reasons,~ he said. ~The one I gave my flock was that I wanted to study in Iacon--the universities at home weren't broad enough, and Vos is--was--xenophobic on the point of rejecting any research from outside. And I didn't want to trine and get tied to an eyrie raising creations. Not that young, anyway. And even as racist as Iacon could be, I stood a better chance of heading a university department there than I did in Vos.~ His voice held definite disdain for that fact. ~And...~ He trailed off, debating, then sighed, smirked, and shrugged his wings. ~I wanted to do something _shocking_ to make my flock believe that I was fully invested in an independent life.~

~Was that why you were with a shuttle for a while too?~ Skywarp asked, and it actually sounded like an innocent question. Skywarp simply didn't have the social prejudices that most Seekers, including their Order, had.

~Mhmm,~ Starscream hummed and offlined his optics, and Skywarp was surprised to teek what felt like real _sadness_ there. ~That was on and off for vorns ... but he was my first, not my flock.~

That actually surprised Skywarp, but the surprise quickly fled with a sense of _what do I know?_ ~He got hurt too, like my creators.~

~Yes,~ Starscream murmured. ~You've probably seen him, even if you don't realize ... the Seeker on trial in Iacon, five vorns ago? That was me.~

Skywarp's wings quivered as a tumbling mass of _very not right blank_ hit Starscream. ~Don't remember anything from then. Don't remember anything from ... from when I was an Op. Didn't get out until after Vos was leveled. Still don't know how I survived the processor self-destruct. Guess I wanted to keep TC alive bad enough or something. He was hardlined when it happened.~ He shivered again. ~That's the age difference I told you 'bout. _I'm_ barely a vorn into my adult upgrades.~

Starscream was still for a moment, then his helm shot up. ~You were an _Op,_ ~ he said, peering at his Action. ~How did you ... how _are_ you ... when...~ Too many questions raced through his processor. ~How did you meet Thundercracker? For real.~

~Umm. Okay, do you remember all the terrorist acts in Tarn six hundred-ish vorns ago? Blowing up the royal palace. That stuff.~

~I remember reading about them?~ Starscream offered. ~I was a sparkling when they were happening.~

Skywarp inhaled deeply. ~Yeah, well, that was me being a really angry mechling. Eventually they caught me and I ended up in a Vos holding cell and then TC was my keeper for a while and he said he was trying to socialize me and slag but I started to like him. He got me adult upgrades when I was three hundred and ten. Took me home to his flock. I was chained down and kept too low on fuel to warp for a while, but they were really nice and I liked Target a lot, and TC ... he was just ... it felt good to be with him. Farcry liked me too. We were going to trine maybe. Talking about it at least. Then TC came home one orn early and _really_ upset. His boss wanted me to go into the military or something I don't know. I still didn't care about Vos. I just wanted TC. He ... he knocked me out, turned me in. I don't really remember anything between going black staring at TC and when I woke up staring and hardlined with him and he was seriously freaked out. It was a mess, but we ended up trined and I love him so it's all good.~

Starscream's wings gave a startled flick at the speed at which the information was delivered, rambled through almost without pause. ~...Oh,~ he said, finally, the only thing he could think of. He filled in the holes that he could, set aside the ones he couldn't for later. ~You are quite possibly the only Seeker with a stranger backstory than mine.~

~Only one you're likely to hear admit to it at least. TC seems to know I'm not the only Seeki that isn't known as one,~ Skywarp murmured. ~He hasn't said who though.~

Starscream hummed and then shrugged his wings. ~Pit if I care, really. As long they can fly.~

~I'm sure they can. I will too, eventually.~ Skywarp snuggled into the bright, fast awareness of his Vision. ~You're really smart.~

Starscream purred and preened through his field at the praise. ~I am,~ he agreed. ~You are incredibly unique.~ He brushed back into Skywarp's chaotic, unfathomable consciousness. ~And your processor is astonishingly _fast_.~

~Can't use much of it,~ Skywarp trilled and shivered happily at the approval. He didn't care about approval from many, but from his trine, he cared very much. ~TC says it's all dedicated to warping, not thinking. Says my memory's really funky too. Total chaos.~

~ _Ahh,_ ~ Starscream said, peering with fascination into the trillions of connections he could tell were just the surface of what made this processor run. ~Teleport for me, just across the room.~

Skywarp didn't even contemplate it. He obeyed his Vision's completely reasonable request immediately.

Billions and billions of the surface connections lit up immediately, leading to hundreds of different neural clusters and Starscream watched with awe at the cascading connections that flowed so perfectly, and so chaotically, dancing like static charge as they branched out to their focal points. He could _feel_ the equations surrounding him, beautifully complex mathematical perfection that he knew was beyond all of Cybertronian technology. He couldn't even _conceive_ the barest fraction of them, and when they had executed, he found he couldn't even remember what glimpses he'd had. 

And in less than a moment, it was all over, and he was looking at the deceptive, relatively calm surface. ~Primus below,~ he whispered.

~It's what I do,~ Skywarp ducked his helm and wings, thrilled that his Vision thought so much of him, but embarrassed by it too. ~ _All_ I do. You're lovely,~ he reached to caress Starscream's cockpit. ~Very lovely.~

Starscream gave a pleased purr. ~Show me once more?~

Skywarp obeyed, and there was a flicker of worry through his field as he answered his Vision's desire, suddenly concerned that all Starscream would ever want of him was the processor he couldn't even fathom himself. But this time, after the jump, Starscream's hands were on his wings and pushing him to his back. His Vision's mouth came to cover his, insistent, desire clear in his field and he moaned, eager and pressing up.

~Lovely Vision,~ Skywarp moaned, reaching to stroke the sleek white wings above him. Every fiber of him was eager, willing, wanting to give his Vision pleasure and reinforce the trine bond.

Starscream's legs went to either side of his waist in a straddle and his intent was clear with the way he rocked his hips, valve bared, demanding. Skywarp released his cover and his eagerness helped his spike pressurize up. It was similar to what he'd shared with Farcry those few times, but instead of the act being a patient indulgence, this Vision shuddered as he was pierced, genuinely _wanting_. 

Starscream released the hold on his wings and let them move as they willed, and their cant was joyful and telling. 

_Action_

_Action_

_Action_

He held himself upright, helm back and optics flickering as he moved up and down in slow, decisive strokes.

Skywarp moaned and did his best to thrust into the movement, his focus on pleasing his Vision even as ancient coding rose. It wasn't anything _Skywarp_ cared about, but this, being inside his Vision, created a reproductive arousal in him that blasted the poor Seeker's processors. He wanted to please. A happy Vision created a happy trine.

~Some orn,~ Starscream promised, just as drawn into the moment as Skywarp was. He didn't think he'd mind creating with _this_ Action. It just couldn't be all that bad. 

The overload that finally pulled them tumbling into each other was crackling and drawn out and ended with their chests pressed flush, panting mouths seeking each other. Skywarp's chest armor unlocked, his cockpit sliding out of the way as the desperate desire for _closeness_ echoed across the hardline. He kissed Starscream frantically, wanting, needing, and completely accepting that it wasn't to kindle.

His Vision trilled in answer as his frame mirrored the transformation to bring their chambers into view, and then their sparks against each other. Starscream couldn't think of anything that would make him want to refuse his Action, not in that moment. The frantic, friction-causing pace they'd been keeping suddenly slowed, and then stilled entirely with their lips still brushing together. The mixing sparklight spilled out from between them, two sparks pressing together with happy shivers.

Here, and at peace with the merge, Starscream could feel the difference in age that Skywarp had spoken of. The processors were of a barely upgraded adult, but the spark was all too aware of the time it had been trapped and in the thrall of a program that made his frame barely better than a drone with an incredible method of moving. It recalled, in the indistinct way of sparks, of many, many missions, dropping bombs, knowing he was supposed to die each time, and making it out. Yet there was also the youthful playfulness there too, incredible loyalty that wasn't even from coding. When Skywarp gave himself, he gave completely. And Starscream, who was far from indiscriminate in his affection and loyalty, accepted it. He curled and shimmered with the older spark, pulsing charge after charge alongside and through.

This overload was bliss of an entirely different kind. Their frames were secondary, only distantly recognized. It was their sparks, the unity of becoming one no matter how briefly, that sent them spiraling over into a whiteout. They shuddered when it released them and their frames parted and closed. Skywarp nudged Starscream with a grumbling insistence, wanting him beneath, and Starscream didn't fight it as his Action pushed him back and covered him with his wings. He petted and purred, face tucked against Starscream's shoulder. 

It was strange, Starscream decided, to have one's coding so change one's perception of the world, but he wasn't about to stop enjoying it because of that. For all his faults, Skywarp was an eager lover and attentive one afterwards. It felt good, and having his Action's so very content field against his was very good too.

At some point Starscream distantly realized that Thundercracker had joined them, but the Order did little more than nuzzle them both and join the small pile with a contented sound and teek.

 _Trine_ settled into his spark and he drifted easily into recharge.


	8. Rite of the Storm Flight

Two vorns, one metacycle and five decaorns after Vos fell Thundercracker landed in the eyrie that was beginning to look and feel like a home to the flock that had settled there. The ties weren't the same but the need to form trines, flocks and flights was ingrained into Seeker kind far deeper than mere social standards. It was core code. His base metal wings and frame, long since stripped of any color just like every other Seeker, were held strong and proud as he clicked to demand attention.

Just as with the ranking order of any flock, all optics turned to him almost immediately.

"Gather energon for a flight to Vos and back, and the Rite of the Storm Flight," he called out to them, causing several sets of wings to lift eagerly. They hadn't flown last vorn, all of them too deep in grief to challenge the skies. This vorn, more were ready. "The storms are gathering." 

"Will is be just us, or are more coming?" Cloudrite asked. He was holding his two-vorn sparklings in his arms, wings lifting with real interest. 

"All the flocks will be returning," Thundercracker answered. "I met with the other flock Orders yesterday."

"Who will care for the younglings while we fly?" Cloudrite asked, even more eager, but not so much that he'd abandon his young.

"There are sixteen mechlings too young to fly the rite among the flocks. They will tend to the younger creations," Thundercracker smiled slightly, pleased to hear interest and thinking about the future, even if it was only a decaorn into the future. "They will remain here. Creators will choose whether their sparklings remain with the crèche or ride along."

Cloudrite nodded and dipped his helm to nuzzle his creations. "I will think about it," he said, then trilled his thanks when Thundercracker pinged him a list of the mechlings to review. 

Excited chattering took over the room and Thundercracker answered a few more questions before returning to his usual nest with Skywarp. Starscream was laying on the floor next to them, holding his hand in the air and examining his bare metal fingers. "Please, too young to fly the rite," he said, rolling his optics. "I flew it my first mechling vorn."

"Then you know that it's highly unusual to be a skilled enough flier by then," Thundercracker pointed out. "Mechlings extinguished every vorn for going up too soon. We can't afford it anymore."

Starscream hummed a noncommittal sound and Skywarp looked at Thundercracker. "Is this that thing when you all went away at once for a few orns when it was storming?" he asked, wings cocked with interest.

"Yes," Thundercracker nodded, snuggling against his mate and stroking the plating with absent interest. "The Rite of the Storm Flight is the event of the vorn for Seekers. Even those who lived outside of Vos usually returned to fly and prove they were still worthy of their wings."

"I did," Starscream added. "Even though it became somewhat _dull_ after interstellar flight. _Not_ that it was all that exciting to begin with." 

Thundercracker glared at him. Starscream smiled back. 

"Why is it always over Vos?" Skywarp asked curiously, obvious to the looks between his Order and Vision. "Can't we find a storm closer?"

"Nowhere we have access to has the same storms as Vos. They're some of the most intense on the planet," Thundercracker explained.

"Oh." Skywarp thought for a few moments. "What's the point?"

"To prove that we are still masters of the sky," Thundercracker said. "We are Seekers and Seekers are masters of the air."

"It doesn't sound very safe," Skywarp said hesitantly. "Mecha really _died?_ "

"If they died during the Storm Rite, they didn't deserve their wings," Starscream said, shrugging his own. "We submit ourselves to Flight and Sky and if we aren't worthy, they strike us down."

"But _why?_ " Skywarp couldn't help but ask as he tried to wrap his processors around it with no success.

"It's part of being _Seeker_ ," Thundercracker hissed uneasily. This was not a conversation to be having around others. "Come on, we need to fly."

"Okay," Skywarp said slowly, wings dipping in response to his Order's clear displeasure. Even Starscream glanced over at him at the tone, before Skywarp took Thundercracker's wrist and teleported them both up into the sky.

::Skywarp,:: Thundercracker sighed as his field calmed quickly. ::Those are the kind of questions that will get you in trouble. Every Seeker should know, even those who were raised outside Vos.::

::Well no one ever told me!:: Skywarp said defensively. ::It just sounds like a way to show off to me.::

Thundercracker cocked his helm. ::Showing off? Was it showing off to try to drive Starscream to ground before we trined?::

::Well it was for him but that was _important_ ,:: Skywarp said. ::You had to know if he was good enough to risk lying about it. ...Right? What happens if mecha find out he's lying anyway?::

::He will lose whatever rank he has and so will I. In peacetime we'd be ostracized. Right now, few will trust us but there are too few for exile.::

::Got it,:: Skywarp said, nodding seriously, looking right into Thundercracker's optics. ::Don't let _anyone_ know. Why is the Storm Rite _so_ important?::

::Seekers have long claimed mastery of the skies. It is our creation right. The Rite of the Storm Flight is to prove that our claim is correct. It exemplifies everything that it _Seeker_.::

Skywarp had to run that through his processors several times, trying to grasp the _why_ , and kept getting distracted by the why _not_. ::If ... they don't fly the Rite, they don't deserve to fly?:: he asked, falling back on what Starscream had said.

::If they can't, they don't deserve to claim to be Seekers,:: Thundercracker said it slightly differently. ::But essentially, yes. If you can't fly, you shouldn't be suffered to live.::

::But--but--what about old Seekers or someone who got hurt or don't like it or are--are--:: Skywarp's processors stuttered over the last point, caught up with too many _what ifs_ whirling around, then managed, ::But I'm scared I'm not good enough 'cause Starscream's always saying how I should be better and I don't want to die!::

Thundercracker gripped his Action's arms to help steady him. ::The old are ready to fall. The damaged don't have to fly if time will repair them. You are good enough. Your gift will keep you safe. Starscream and I will keep you safe. You aren't flying alone. You are with trine and flock.::

Skywarp nodded rapidly, grounding himself in Thundercracker's steady field and wings. ::...What happens if someone just doesn't want to?::

::It doesn't happen. Or they banish themselves.:: Thundercracker tried to explain something he couldn't understand himself. ::Most choose to extinguish during the Rite. It is a good death. Few ever wish to suffer without their wings.::

Skywarp glanced over his shoulder at his and tried to picture not having them or not being able to fly. It was distressing. ::Does someone get banished if they don't do it for a few vorns?::

::No,:: Thundercracker said, and rubbed his forehelm, dipping into his patience reserves. ::If a Seeker chooses not to fly because of illness or injury or fatigue, no one cares. But, no one ever chooses to just _not_ fly because they don't want to. Everyone just _flies_ , that's just how it is. I've never met a healthy Seeker go more than two vorns without flying.::

::Okay,:: Skywarp said uncertainly, still trying to grasp the entire thing. ::...I'll be okay?::

::Yes, love.:: Thundercracker held him and claimed a reassuring kiss. ::You'll be fine. It may be terrifying, but I won't let you fall. Starscream won't let you fall. You'll fly, and I hope after you understand. Or at least come to enjoy it.::

::I'll try to understand,:: Skywarp promised, nuzzling against his Order. 

::That's all I'll demand,:: Thundercracker held him. ::Come _fly_ with me?::

Skywarp trilled eagerly for the dual meaning in the request, transforming to take his place on Thundercracker's wing as the once-blue jet rocketed up into the air.

* * *

Thundercracker flew in over Vos with Skywarp on his wing, and knew that both of them felt their Vision's absence from the formation. Starscream was behind, flying solo in the flock, which was loosely grouped with the three-hundred and some odd Seekers who were making the journey. Everyone was silent, still processing the news that repainting would begin after the Rite of the Storm Flight. The flock Orders had discussed it, and as unfathomable as it was to consider _moving on_ from the loss of their people and city, they needed to at least take a step forward. 

Repainting would not be mandated, but the flock Orders were strongly recommending it, and they knew most would follow. 

They also knew that not everyone would be returning to Kaon after this flight. Some flew so heavily that the bare, gray metal was likely to be their final color. 

The ones who survived the storms, Thundercracker knew, would be the ones to survive the loss. 

Time had done Vos no favors; the once-proud city was desolate and crumbling. The sky felt empty, even with the brewing electric storm in the upper atmosphere. Where millions had once flown, now went hundreds. 

Skywarp's nervous energy after they landed was palpable as he gazed upwards at the lightning. ::When will it start?:: he asked.

::When Tumbler calls us to fly,:: Thundercracker explained. ::As the flock Order to the highest ranked surviving noble, it is his duty.::

::Oh,:: Skywarp said, and frowned. ::But he isn't noble, and you are, shouldn't you do it?::

::Status is a very complicated matter when it comes to such things,:: Thundercracker admitted. ::I am the highest status noble Order to survive, but not the highest status Seeker. Featherlight is well above me in status. Since his Order extinguished, his flock's Order gains Featherlight's ceremonial status. Not even I understand all the fussy details, but those are the basics.::

Skywarp gave a short, thoughtful hum, then nodded. ::All right,:: he said, watching the sky. ::But when will it be?::

::Within a few kliks,:: Thundercracker assured him. ::He's just waiting for everyone to settle and for flock leaders to say the flocks are ready.::

Skywarp gave a nervous, excited trill, jumping a little as he nodded his understanding. 

"Ahh," Starscream's voice drifted over them as the Vision sauntered up, stretching his arms out before patting Skywarp on the shoulder. "Well it's been nice knowing you, Skywarp." 

Skywarp gave a short, unhappy whine and stared at his Vision.

"If that happens, it's your wings and ambition that's lost," Thundercracker snorted. "I know how badly you want him to live."

"What, me?" Starscream asked with wide optics. "Of course I want him to live, he is a dearly cherished kin." He put his hand over his spark. "That is my wish for every one of our kin, Thundercracker."

Thundercracker's optics narrowed and his wings flicked in displeasure at the snarking comments. "Then stop teasing the young."

Starscream rolled his optics. "He's older than me, you know." 

Skywarp was glaring at him, wings held high and trembling with how much the slight against his much-improved flying skills had hurt. 

Starscream looked at him mildly. "I'm only being realistic," he said with a shrug, then immediately after, ::I'll be watching you the whole time, don't worry.:: He made sure the comm was open to Thundercracker, to avoid the mate's growing fury. 

They both just stared at him for a moment. 

"You are _such_ a--a--a jerk!" Skywarp said before he stalked away. Thundercracker grabbed a gray wingtip and twisted just enough to hurt before going after his mate. 

"Hey!" Starscream protested after him. "I was being _nice!_ " 

The protest fell of deaf audials however, as Thundercracker focused on catching his mate before the upset Seeker teleported away. Skywarp wings were trembling when he finally grabbed them, but the Action stilled, hands balled into fists, glaring at the ground. Thundercracker ran his hands along the tops and pressed against Skywarp's back, engines rumbling in a low, barely-audible purr. 

"I've been working really hard," Skywarp said, wings drooping as he kicked at the ground.

"You've improved a lot," Thundercracker cooed, soothingly. "He's a self-important mean glitch."

"But, he's..." Skywarp said, struggling with equating _Vision_ with that description, even though both of them described Starscream. "Don't know why he has to be such a stupid glitch."

"Doesn't know any better," Thundercracker said gently, still stroking Skywarp's colorless wings. "Just like you didn't know any better when we met. You learned. He can."

"Hmm." Skywarp pondered that for a moment. "So he needs to be trained too."

"Yes," Thundercracker chuckled, then nuzzled his mate. "He needs to be socialized. _Badly_. Remember all those efforts you made to upset or just rile me early on? I think he's doing the same to an extent. He's pushing, to find the limits and the punishments."

Skywarp frowned, then set his wings defiantly and opened his mouth, right as a high, calling trill carried over the gathering. "Is that it?" Skywarp asked as he forgot what he'd been planning to say entirely, and teleported rapidly back and forth in his sudden excitement.

"Yes," Thundercracker shivered excitedly. "Back to our flock."

Skywarp immediately teleported them back, took a moment to swat Starscream around the helm and stick his glossa out at him, then followed the others up into the air. He stuck close to Thundercracker. The winds were harsh and the charge in the air distracting. It took all his focus to stay close and he was not ignorant of the greater space around him than most had. His lack of flight skills, no matter how much he'd improved, was not a secret of any kind.

The first kliks were just an exercise in heading straight up into the storm, and the pressure of wind on plating only grew the higher they climbed. The charge in the air became painful, and soon all Skywarp could see was wings and dark clouds. A sudden gust of air made him yelp as he was toppled out of the current he'd been riding. He couldn't correct and felt a flare of panic as a spin began, and then the air cracked around him as Starscream shot past, using his wake to help correct the young Action. Just as he righted himself, he teeked Thundercracker under him through the static of the storm and relaxed, trusting his mate to catch him if he needed it. It took all his attention and no small amount of minor warping to keep his position even remotely in place, never mind the drive he felt to catch his Vision and protect him from the storm.

A sizzling bolt of lightning crackled nearby, creating ozone from air and blinding his ability to teek, but even he could hear the scream of the Seeker it struck and caught most of the comm chatter of who, the damage and that it was one of those who'd intended to deactivate in this storm so there was no effort to help. Skywarp forced his vision to track the injured Order's progress and watched him continue to fly, forcing himself forward, until he was swept away and out of sight. More wings replaced him and Skywarp could only imagine what this would have been like with millions of Seekers flying together. Even in his processors it was too much to grasp and was quickly shunted away to avoid losing focus on his flying.

Staying airborne was his priority. That and staying clear of the lighting. The strikes came hard and fast and burnt his plating when they got too close, breaking flocks in half as they struggled through the thrashing winds. 

It was ... painful, and terrifying, but the longer Skywarp flew, the more he realized that he _could_ do this, he _could_ master these skies. His creators would have flown this, once upon a time, felt the rush of electric air and known this for the joy everyone said it was. It was a way to connect to them, Skywarp decided, and he threw himself into the raging storm.

He felt more than heard the encouraging pings Thundercracker and others, both in his flock and outside it, occasionally sent him and they bolstered him more. He wasn't alone. His mate and flock wanted him to succeed. Even Starscream, hateful glitch that he was on occasion, wanted him to succeed and helped out now and then to keep him steady. The Vision acting like an Order only came by when it could look like he wasn't helping, but he still did. Skywarp had his mate there when he had issues and Starscream couldn't use his wake to correct them.

Within joors, Skywarp didn't need the help. It was exhausting, but euphoric. Visible proof, before all, that he flew well enough to be a Seeker. Proof he wasn't pathetic anymore.

Proof he was good enough.

He lost track of time and space as he flew, feeling the flight in his very _wires_. By the time the storm receded, some dozen plus had fallen, but the survivors didn't mourn. Those fallen had been ready. They'd been the flying dead. They were with Primus once more, once more with Vos and their kin.

The fliers crashed into the ground as one and Skywarp felt Starscream against his back as he was pushed into Thundercracker. He felt a moment of panic--they were in _public_ \--but then realized that the same was happening all around, exhausted Seekers pressing into, onto, against each other with the last of their strength. In relaxing he felt how good, how right it was to his trinemates, and purred into the warm pile. "Think I understand," he murmured to his mate.

Thundercracker's field flared with pleasure-approval, then happiness, then smoothed into his shutdown.

* * *

Starscream held very still as one of the flock's untrined Orders drew broad strokes over his plating, full of the chromates that would adhere to his frame and take on his natural, stunning colors. Through dim, lidded optics, he watched Thundercracker putting a first coat of protective polish on Skywarp, fully enjoying the view. The lovely purple starfield swirls on the black Seeker's wings were difficult to see even just halfway across the makeshift eyrie, but he could fill in the details from memory.

Thundercracker, true to custom as the flock Order, had been the first to be coated in the chromates, the finish sealed, polished and waxed to perfection. To Starscream it spoke volumes about his Order's desires that the Air Martial insignia, complete with rank markers, was treated directly onto the base plating so the chromates would create it. Most used paint of some kind until they reached the rank where they expected to stay.

Even the very few who had chosen not to paint quite yet were helping the others, polishing and rubbing, making sure that every part of a frame was painted before the color was sealed in. The process of rotating so everyone had at least a few kliks of working on another was complex enough to strain Starscream's social protocols, but Thundercracker handled it smoothly and with limited apparent direction.

Starscream fluttered out his shining white wings and held his head high. He'd always been immensely proud of his bright colors and the flattering patterns and it felt _good_ to be showing them to full effect once more. Almost as good, he conceded internally, as it felt to be surrounded by a real flock again. The color was bringing life back into the Seekers, and there were already a few apparent courtships. They still grieved for the lost, but the need to connect with each other was stronger. 

Starscream shifted and accepted a handheld buffer and set it to Cloudrite's wings, but his gaze stayed subtly on Skywarp, who looked incredible in his full colors. A different pair of hands came to his frame, taking up the painting on his hips and moving down. It was easy to lose himself in the care of giving and receiving, of being with his own kind and understood in a way that he never had been in Iacon. Not even his creation flock had accepted him so completely.

It settled him in a way he never expected possible.

* * *

In the privacy of his large but stark and functional office, Megatron watched as the Seekers renewed their bold colors once more. In every converted eyrie he switched surveillance too it was the same scene. The score or so that lived there were in a unusually tight cluster, painting on chromates, then sealing, polishing, buffing, waxing and generally making each other look perfect. They kept switching around too, no one mech tending to another for long.

It was strange, but it was the sign he was sure he wanted.

"They'll be ready soon?" he glanced at his SIC, his spymaster, organizer and source of information a lowly miner turned gladiator turned revolutionary had no way of knowing no matter how much he studied.

"Affirmative," Soundwave answered, watching the same screen. "Purpose of ritual: social bonding, recovery."

"And that long flight they took over Vos?" Megatron asked, mentally reviewing the most disturbing acts of deactivation by inaction he had seen in free mecha. Even in the arenas the damaged weren't ignored. They were put out of their misery quickly or repaired enough to fight again. The mines held much the same system. A quick deactivation, or repaired to work again. It was brutal in its own way, but nothing like he'd witnessed among the Seekers.

"The Rite of the Storm Flight," Soundwave said. "Vornly ritual, complete purpose unclear. Hypothesis: a test of flight skill. Determines: if life is permissible. The Rite: sacred."

"So they will do this even during war," Megatron hummed, less than thrilled but determined to work through it. Command of the sky was well worth it. "Have you determined who I should focus on courting for the cause to draw the majority in?"

"Affirmative. Ravage," Soundwave called, standing and turning to face his Lord as his symbiot transformed and jumped into his chest. He pressed one of the control buttons and began to play surveillance footage of a few dozen Seekers. "Seekers: will follow the flock Orders. This species: easy to control with minimal interaction with select representatives."

"Excellent," Megatron purred. "The military ones seem to have many of those positions. What of their nobles?" he spat the term out.

"Nobility: of minimal importance in Seeker culture," Soundwave explained. "Excess rights and privileges: are not afforded. Presence of class bias: negligible. Primary purpose of nobility: ceremonial."

"Then they should be quite agreeable to my vision, if far less motivated by equality than most," Megatron nodded as he continued to watch the Seekers groom. Now that several had sealant on their new chromate layer, interfacing seemed to have become included in the acceptable activities. "Are they as frametype prejudiced as rumor has it?"

"Indeed," Soundwave said, looking back to the images of Seekers petting, stroking and rubbing each other on the screen. "Seekers: will never see Lord Megatron as their true leader. Lord Megatron: must attempt to appear as no more than peer to their highest Order."

"So I will have to promote their leader to my SIC very quickly," he frowned and looked at his current SIC and most trusted ally. "I do not like the idea of demoting you."

Soundwave dipped his helm in respect. "Rank: unimportant to Soundwave. Lord Megatron: could promote lead trine's Order to Decepticon Air Commander. Seekers: will always be loyal only to one of their own. Lord Megatron: must seek the Air Commander's loyalty only." 

Megatron nodded slightly as his field reached out to brush the telepath's in thanks and returned loyalty. "Have they sorted out who their lead trine is yet?"

"Negative," Soundwave said with a fond, loving field caress for his leader. He looked at the screen. "Current engagements: to establish equality and social bonds. Leadership: will come after."

There was a long moment of silence as Megatron watched a society as alien as any organic one. "Keep me updated on their progress. When they have a leader I will approach him. Have they made any unusual requests?"

"Negative," Soundwave said, and his voice sounded just the faintest bit frustrated by that fact. The Seekers were unbelievably difficult to bribe or woo. They accepted what aid they needed, and rejected the rest. They even returned any excess. It seemed that being in debt to a grounder was an unbearable prospect to them. "Soundwave: believes that with time and patience, Lord Megatron will control their strength." 

More of the Seekers were joining in the interfacing, which looked almost secondary to the petting and grooming. And even during interfacing, polish was smoothed on, wrings rubbed to a shine. The couplings were even changing as often as the polishing had; Megatron watched one Seeker go from riding another to being on his hands and knees for a completely different flier in the next klik. Overloading didn't appear to be any kind of goal. 

"They are a strange group," Megatron mused. "Very different from the fliers we've gathered already. Continue to watch and supply them. I will approach the leaders when they have it down to three contenders."

Soundwave heard the dismissal for what it was and bowed. "Yes, Lord Megatron," he said, before leaving his Lord alone with the surveillance.

* * *

Thundercracker stood with eighteen other flock Orders, looking to Tumbler and Featherlight. They had gathered to discuss the future of their kind, now that they had repainted and flown together. Featherlight was present as the highest ranking Seeker, and as his flock Order, Tumbler presided over the meeting. Personally, Thundercracker was beyond relieved when Tumbler had recovered from the loss of his trine enough to aggressively begin to claim flight leadership. It was a duty that Thundercracker had no desire for but did not believe that many others were capable of. He'd take the duty himself before he allowed a lesser to lead, no matter how unappealing it was.

When the group had settled, the alliances between flocks already becoming apparent, Tumble lifted his brightly marked wings and whistle-clicked for attention. He received it smoothly. All present were ready.

"I'll put it simply, and say what we all know," he began gravely. "We are fast approaching a time of war, and we no longer have a structured military. Fliers can be trained, that isn't a problem. But we need a structure." 

"You're saying we need commanders," Fyat said, looking around at the gathering, only a handful of which had any kind of previous command experience. "There aren't enough."

"It will mean going against everything civilians understand as flock and trine, but the military, those of us who are left, know how to make it work. The flock Orders at home will not always be the flock Orders in the field. Your trine may not be the same as far fewer Visions go to war."

"Wait, you mean a subordinate Order in the eyrie can be the flock Order in the field?" Pathfinder, a naturalist with a full trine shifted uneasily.

"Yes, that is what I mean," Tumbler said gravely. "I suggest opening higher command opportunities to all Orders, without them having to first command a flock or flight."

Several Orders looked to Thundercracker as the one who could often bridge the gap between civilian and military processor sets and cultures.

"Not only true, but smart. We do not have the time or numbers to give traditional working up through the ranks process what it needs to work," he responded to them, then looked to Tumbler. "I agree with opening command ranks to all Orders. I would also recommend relaxing the rules about requiring an Order in a combat trine. There are a few Actions and even a couple Visions that would make viable trine leaders if they fly without an Order. It would give us more flexibility."

Tumbler frowned at him. "Actions, I will hesitantly consider. Not Visions."

Thundercracker dipped his wings slightly to indicate he would not contest the choice. It was also, in his quiet way, a signal to all that in the coming contest to determine their wartime Air Commander, he did not intend to complete.

"So ... how do we determine rank?" Nitrate asked with a scowl of her own. She was a civilian, but an aggressive one with a full trine, including a Vision that was nearly as difficult as Starscream to manage. "Do you intend to bar those Visions who want to fight from the battlefield?"

"Yes, I do," Tumbler said. "They are too few and too valuable. Letting any Order apply for command is enough."

Fyat flicked her wings uncertainly, catching Tumbler's attention before he could address the rest of Nitrate's question. "Is appointing to command so soon so important?"

"Without structure, there will be no order," Tumbler explained to the civilian. "Fliers will feel more at ease working within an established structure, especially those new to this experience." 

Fyat dipped her helm in understanding. It was a basic tenant of their society.

Nitrate twitched, looked at Thundercracker, then at Tumbler before to Thundercracker again.

"We fight and we fly. The fastest, strongest, smartest and best will rise to the top," Thundercracker answered her.

Nitrate nodded in understanding. "There are Orders in my flock better suited than I am," she said.

"Which is why, with so few, any may fight," Tumbler said. "Now ... Megatron has been waiting, but I feel he will press for an oath of support very soon. He is gathering his own forces and I feel will soon make the first strikes against the Prime's territories. I believe we should stand with him, and take our place as commanders over the grounder troops, but that is not a decision for me to make. We must all have a say."

"His SIC makes me uneasy, but I agree with his stated goal," Thundercracker cast his vote. Several others agreed with simple hums or wing flicks.

"If we agree the cause is good but are not ready to fight ourselves, are we going to be required to fight?" Mocca asked uneasily.

"No," Tumbler and Thundercracker replied in unison, only to have Thundercracker dip his wings in apology for overstepping his station.

"No, there will always be need for those who remain with the Visions and creations, educate the young and maintain our culture," Tumbler said firmly.

"Should we ... name a new Trine Elect?" Pathfinder asked. "Do we even have a way to do that?"

"Yes," Featherlight took center stage for a moment. "Nothing of what happened changes the fundamentals of how the Trine Elect is selected, only who is doing the selecting. In simplest terms, the flight Orders, the twenty of you, will select who will be the Trine Elect from among those who volunteer for the position."

"Will you volunteer?" Thundercracker asked. "You do have the background for it, even if you don't have an Order yet."

"I will," Featherlight said, canting his wings appropriately for speaking directly to a flock Order. "It is a necessary public service and I am well-suited to the task. I have taken the time I needed to grieve my Order, I will happily trine again."

A few smiles and lifting wings greeted the statement.

"It's good to know what you wish to do," Stormday chuckled. "It'll keep many of us out of the running for you."

"Not everyone, though," Mocca trilled. "I've missed having a trine and fighting isn't my thing."

"Nor will it be everyone's," Tumbler said, nodding. "Featherlight will put together a process for appointing the next Trine Elect and make sure everyone understands it. There is, unfortunately, one more item to address. Full trines must be formed, and Visions must begin to carry again. There aren't enough for full trines, and the onset of glitching is looming."

The gathering fell silent at that. Eventually it was Pathfinder who broke the uneasy thoughts. "Of those Orders who do not go to war, perhaps they should carry as well. There is nothing in coding, frames or sparks to prevent an Order or Action from carrying. It's just very rare."

"That is _blasphemy,_ " Stormday hissed at him. 

"It's medical _fact_ ," Mocca snapped back. "Just because it is not tradition--"

"There is a vast world of difference between nontraditional and heresy," Stormday said. 

"We may not survive without desperate measures," Fyat argued, and then he looked to Featherlight and everyone stilled. 

Featherlight took a moment to dip his wings and think. "It is not _our_ way," he finally said uncertainly. "No creation from such an abnormal origin has ever been validated. But to stave off glitching..."

"I'm only suggesting those who are willing do it, especially those Orders without a Vision," Pathfinder said quietly. "Surely if a Seeker _wishes_ to bring a new Seekerling into our flight it is not a bad thing. Not when we are in such desperate need. It's been long noted that Orders and Visions can be difficult to tell apart until they are in their adult frame and begin to signal."

"I know of one that has been validated," Thundercracker said quietly. "My Action was carried by his creator-trine's Order."

"Why wasn't he carried by his Vision?" Featherlight asked in shock.

"The Vision was Seeki," Thundercracker's voice was low, still uneasy with the truth. "It was better to be carried by an Order than a Seeki."

"Obviously this was all kept very quiet," Tumbler said, frowning, before he shook his wings to get rid of their disturbed tilt. "Regardless. Desperate times call for desperate measures. As disturbing as it may be, I believe allowing Orders who wish to carry to do so would be in our best interests." He looked around the others. No one was happy, but no one seemed ready to fight against the edict.

"Very well," Tumbler said gravely. "Matching Visions to incomplete trines and kindling is priority. Asking all non-combative Orders to consider carrying must come after. We will also begin competition to appoint new commanders, and continue our training. Is there anything else?" 

"What of those who start to glitch?" Fyat asked quietly. "There is no way to predict when it will happen for some." 

"They will have to manage," Tumbler said. "As far as I know, no one has progressed far enough into the glitch to deactivate." 

"That's true," Pathfinder spoke up. "There were some underground attempts to find out what happens to untrined Seekers, but they were halted as inhumane. There are stories of medics who successfully completed the same experiments millennia ago, but..." He shook his head. "There is no proof of them."

"Then let us all work to ensure that we do not find out," Tumbler flicked his wings in agitation at the subject matter. "For now, return to your flocks and spread the news. Selection for the military officers will begin in the morning."

The Orders canted their wings in understanding and obedience, and the gathering was dispersed. 


	9. Building the Ranks

Starscream stood in a line of twelve Orders and eight Actions, waiting for the signal to begin the race. The first round of competition was, unsurprisingly, a straight-up speed test. Starscream's thrusters were warm, ready, his smirk was set firmly in place. His wings fluttered with excitement, he felt light on his pedes. He was ready to show his competitors who was the _best_. Most of those competing knew they didn't stand a chance against him in a flat out race, but they had to try to have a chance at any officer rank in the new air force being built. He was privately a bit surprised that Thundercracker was there, but he supposed that the Order couldn't completely let go of command. He'd been in charge for a long time after all.

Mocca, one of the flock Orders that had made very clear his intent was to stay out of fighting and keep society going, gave a sharp whistle and everyone took off.

The roar of thruster fire filled the air as everyone rocketed off--except Starscream, who stayed in place and stretched his arms leisurely up over his head before turning around and holding them out as he fell backwards off the ledge. He transformed midway through the fall and spun, racing to catch up with the rest of the pack. The distance was eaten up with almost disturbing ease. Not that Starscream was surprised, though he was sure a few were when he shot past them. All the better, though, at least to him. It was more fun to win when the losers weren't fully expecting it. He smirked to himself. He would show these Orders and Actions who was _superior._

It was easy, too. At least in flat out speed, he didn't even need to strain his engines. Just for show, for the last quarter-hic of the straight race, he pushed everything he had and only increased the distance between himself and the next flier as he came across the line. He was fairly sure that was Lightningbolt, one of the flock Orders, but he didn't care enough to check. It felt good to show off as he once had, just for the pleasure of it and the shock it created in those who witnessed his perfection.

As he came in for a landing the next group was readying for their race, and he amused himself with placing their final position in his processor. Some he wasn't sure why they were even trying to race. Yes, they were required to enter every round of the contests, but if Starscream was that heavy he wouldn't have put so much effort into it. A graceful defeat would surely be better than an embarrassing one. A heavy fighter-bomber Action was one of those frames. Sure they had endurance and strength, but agility and speed were not strong traits of the frametype.

As predicted, the fighter-bomber came in last, cooling vents running embarrassingly loud as he came in for a landing. Starscream hummed and looked to the next round, the third of six. He teeked rather than heard Thundercracker and Skywarp settle in to watch nearby, and Tumbler, the one who had the most command experience, stood with them to watch the remaining races.

It was dull, really, knowing how completely he outclassed them all. It made all the effort seem like just a formality and Starscream hated formalities when they stood in the way of what was rightfully his.

Well, _especially_ when they stood in the way of what was rightfully his. 

The last three rounds were just as dull and predictable as the first three and Starscream genuinely began to wonder what it must be like to go through life in such obviously deficient and lacking frames when the first of the agility competitions was finally called. These were a set of twelve agility competitions and would be run in the same groups of twenty as the speed tests had been, and from there, the Orders and Actions who still had any pride left would go on to the combat trials. After that came the part Starscream both dreaded and looked forward to. The debates. Only those who sought a high rank, the Air Commander and Flight Commanders, were involved in those. On one hand they would allow Starscream to display his extraordinary intelligence. On the other, it was about convincing the flock Orders and general population that they should trust him with their lives.

And, he had to admit to himself, some small part of him was worried that they would see through him. Oh, he deserved to lead, there was no question of that, but this backwards, outdated society would rather judge him through the lens of a random set of code rather than actual _skill_. And the problem was, that code was strong enough to alter his behavior if he wasn't vigilant enough. 

He would have to get Thundercracker to drill him sometime before the debates, Starscream decided as he worked his way through the first obstacle course's loops. At least in this, in flying, he knew no one could touch his numbers. He was without peer and all knew it. Any who doubted wouldn't after this.

As he waited and watched between his various flights, he made note of those who had the skill to teach him how to make even better use of his natural aptitudes. He just couldn't be surprised when Tumbler, Rapidfire, Thundercracker and a couple other military officers all made the list. They weren't as good as he was, but they had training he didn't.

Only a fool pretended they knew everything, and Starscream was no fool. No matter what Thundercracker said. 

Starscream scowled, absently watching the target agility match, wings flicking. He would show the stuck-up, old-fashioned, controlling Order just how good he could be. He would make his Order proud. 

And then his wings hiked up and his vocalizer gave a protesting burst of static. 

Make Thundercracker _proud?_ Why the Pit would he care about making Thundercracker _proud?_

"Something wrong, Starscream?" Tumbler came close enough to teek, and he teeked of almost creator-like concern.

"What?" Wings forcefully lowered back down and Starscream looked at the old Order. "No. Nothing. Just--memories." Hopefully that would make him go away.

There was a sympathetic hum of understanding. "Thundercracker's a good Seeker. He'll help you if you let him. So will I. We all have memories to process."

"Why would I ask Thundercracker?" Starscream blurted out before he could think about it, startled. Did he know? _Could_ he know?

Tumbler's wings flicked in surprise but his field was gentle and supportive as well as a little concerned "He is your flock Order, and from what I've seen something close to a lover. I was rather expecting the three of you would be flying as a duty trine given how much you fly together anyway. Has he been too demanding? Are you looking to change flocks?"

"Oh, no, no," Starscream said, turning to look at him. "I'm quite happy in this flock. I just, don't like to seem as though I need help from anyone."

He knew the instant he said it that he'd made a mistake, just not how serious of one.

"It's his duty to help," Tumbler said gently, his field flickering with concern. "That's what a good Order _does_."

"Of course," Starscream said, and offered a half-smile with a single wing lift. "I'm still learning, but he's a very good teacher." 

There was a lingering pause. "What happened to your flock? You're far too old not to know this."

"Ah..." Starscream said, suddenly realizing what the problem was, and leveled his wings regretfully. "Well, I ... there were some _circumstances_ and I was parted from them. I lived in Iacon, solitary, for most of my life. I returned as soon as I heard. I only wish I had been brave enough to come back sooner."

Sadness, sympathy and understanding flickered across Tumbler's field. "Then you did very well joining Thundercracker's flock. He is unusually practical and tolerant. He'll bring you up to speed quickly. As much as it hurts, if you had returned earlier, you likely would have joined them in the caelum asa. We need every set of wings we have."

"We do," Starscream said, his tone hardening. "I saw the corruption and bigotry myself in Iacon. But they are strong despite it."

"They have numbers and experience. We must have skill and tactics," Target agreed. "It will be ugly, though most damage should be taken by the ground forces."

Starscream smirked. "Indeed. I must say, Megatron has shown a remarkable wisdom in his priorities, for a grounder. I have been nothing but impressed." 

"He is impressive for a grounder," Tumbler agreed and guided the conversation towards tactics and the use of ground forces.

* * *

Megatron and Soundwave were in the former gladiator's office watching the feed from Laserbeak and Buzzsaw of two brightly colored Seekers in a claw and fist fight on the ground. It was like nothing Megatron had seen before. Even in the arenas the airframes never willingly fought on the ground. Yet here was an entire segment of the tests to determine command that was completely ground bound fighting.

When he questioned his SIC about it, Soundwave hummed, showing clear interest in the subject. "Seekers: hold their commanders to high standards," the host explained. "Includes: demonstrated proficiency in battle with disabled flight systems."

"I see," Megatron hummed, watching and mentally picking apart the style and skills on display. "They're quite savage," he purred in approval. "Do they know your avians are watching?"

Soundwave simply turned his head and looked at Megatron. Not one part of his expression changed, but Megatron could still see the insult. "Negative," he said after a long, silent pause before looking back.

"What other standards do they hold their commanders to?" Megatron asked, giving Soundwave a chance to talk about the intelligence he'd garnered and hopefully sweeten his mood. 

"Qualities demanded: Speed, agility, air combat, education, diplomacy and debate. In addition: the less quantifiable trait of social standing. Tumbler: predicted as eventual victor. Thundercracker, Fyat and Rapidfire: likely to be of high rank. Starscream, Acid Storm, Lightningbolt, Switchback: also probable ranking officers.

Megatron nodded. "Which are these?" he asked, gesturing at the screen. "I admire their savagery."

"Ramjet: black and white. Starscream: red and white," Soundwave responded. "Starscream: likely vector."

"Agreed," Megatron purred, enjoying the performance. After a while, he glanced at Soundwave again. "How stable do you think their command structure will be after all this?" 

"Seeker command structure: holds great potential for flexibility," Soundwave said. "Seeker ideal: a commander must always be ready to defend his post."

"So I could end up with a new Air Commander any orn, every orn," Megatron scowled. "Will the pledge of loyalty to the cause, to _me_ , hold from one to the next?"

"Loyalty to Lord Megatron: negligible," Soundwave cautioned. "Loyalty to the cause: will persist. Challenges: must be official and witnessed. Frequency: rare. Purpose: a believed deficiency in current command. Seekers: do not seek individual power." 

"That one seems to," Megatron motioned to the bright red and white Seeker as he pinned his black and white opponent. "Or am I reading him that wrong?"

Soundwave examined the battle as recordings of that same Seeker flashed across his screen while he rapidly reviewed what he knew of him. "Lord Megatron's assessment: possible," he finally decided. "Starscream's behavior: historically abnormal."

"There are always a few of us," Megatron chuckled. "Keep a closer optic on him. I want to know what makes him tick. He'll either be a major asset, or someone we need to make go away." He watched as the next match, one between Thundercracker and Tumbler, was squared off. "Those two, though, they're as normal as Seekers get. Easy to predict, easy to control, submissive in all the right ways."

"Soundwave: agrees," Soundwave said as Ravage jumped from his chest. He lifted his symbiot up to optic level. "Ravage: will follow and monitor Starscream. Remain undetected." 

Ravage yipped his understanding and leaped from Soundwave's hand, vanishing in moments. 

Soundwave looked back to Megatron. "To control an army of Seekers: persuade the leaders. The rest: will follow. This species: easy to manipulate."

"The leaders will be the Air Commander, whoever is in charge of the military, his SIC and TIC, the Trine Elect, in charge of civilians, and the more connected of flock leaders," Megatron mused. "Though there is likely to be some crossover among them. A dozen at most, half a dozen is more likely." 

"Affirmative," Soundwave agreed.

"That is good," Megatron said, mouth curling up in a pleased smile. "I need their strength, Soundwave. I'm counting on you to make sure it happens. Continue monitoring them with all possible vigilance. When they have settled their ranks, I would invite the Air Commander and Trine Elect to a meal to discuss the future."

"Megatron: must be aware the invitation will be for six," Soundwave warned him.

"Six ... both trines, not just the leaders," Megatron nodded. "To invite one is to invite all three."

"Affirmative," Soundwave agreed before they settled in to watch more contests, some more messy than others. Some, like the one between Thundercracker and Tumbler, were almost ritual in appearance. Others left both contestants barely standing.

All in all, it was an enjoyable evening. 

"Do the victors battle?" he asked Soundwave as the matches finished and the Seekers cleared away. 

"Affirmative," Soundwave said, then added, "Tomorrow." 

"I will watch," Megatron decided as he stood. "Join me for some high grade?"

"Affirmative," Soundwave accepted with a wash of appreciation-warmth in his field.

* * *

The flock Orders and those competing to be the new Aid Commander all gathered the orn after the final debates. Starscream felt both out of place among the Orders and strangely calmed by how much it was like a peer review to defend his dissertation. These Seekers held the fate of far more than Starscream in their hands, and Starscream was anticipating learning how wise or foolish they were. He was the best choice, they had to know that, but would they admit it?

Mocca stood as the Trine Elect's Order, commanding attention. "In these unusual circumstances, we were forced to carefully consider each and every competitor. You are all brave, worthy fliers, but in these difficult and confusing times, we will look to strength and experience. Tumbler," he turned to the older military flier and canting his wings in respect. "Our Air Commander."

"Thank you, Trine Elect Mocca," Tumbler canted his wings back in a reply of respect and acceptance of the duty offered to him.

"As was decided, to you falls the selection of your second and third in command," Mocca continued, his gaze sweeping out over the hopefuls that had lost. He was seeking any who objected enough to raise a challenge now, and so was Tumbler.

Starscream seriously considered it for a moment, and then caught Thundercracker's gaze from across the room. 

_Don't you dare._

He narrowed his optics in response, but banished the idea of challenging with an internal huff and the indignation of knowing that he was better suited for that post than an old, decrepit flier. _Starscream_ was young and strong. _Starscream_ was--

"Starscream will be my second in command."

Starscream was what?

The red and white flier's wings flicked in surprise as his optics cycled.

Everyone was looking at him, he finally realized, waiting for a response and he forced his wings into a respectful, accepting cant. "Thank you," he said, and hoped that was the right response. He caught a tiny smile on Thundercracker's features as the tension in the room shifted to focus on Tumbler once more and who he would choose for his TIC. With selecting Starscream all bets were off. The old, traditional Seeker was looking beyond rank and status.

"Fyat will be my third in command," he called out, looking to the small, fierce femme that had given Starscream a run for it in the agility trials and had an utter ruthlessness in combat.

"I will serve with honor," she gave a much more formal, ritual reply.

"Who will be your duty trines?" Tumbler asked them both.

Starscream hesitated. The answer to that was obvious, to him, but would it be _too_ obvious to everyone else? 

Then again, their affiliation had been pointed out before, by Tumbler himself, so it wasn't as though they were doing the best job of hiding connections. But would flying together regularly make it _more_ obvious? 

Would he be able to handle the look on Skywarp's face if he didn't pick them? 

"Thundercracker and Skywarp," he said firmly.

Tumbler simply canted his wings in acceptance, then looked to Thundercracker, silently asking the flock Order if he would, or even could, answer to one who had been a low-ranking member of his flock.

"I accept," Thundercracker said smoothly, just in time for Skywarp to appear and wrap Starscream in an enthusiastic hug while chittering happy nonsense. Thundercracker covered his face with a palm and groaned, while Starscream just gave a half smirk and rubbed Skywarp's wings, nodding in answer to the half-formed exclamations.

"I will fly with my Action, Shattercall, and Echo will take Timber's place on my right wing," Fyat stated with a bemused look at Starscream and Skywarp.

"So it shall be," Tumbler said. "I will fly with Stormday and Pitchback." He looked to Mocca. "I submit my service, with great pride and honor, to the Trine Elect and all of Vosian kind." 

* * *

Starscream came in for a landing after the dinner with Megatron, Soundwave, Tumbler, Fyat, and the Trine Elect--Mocca, Featherlight, and Steelwing. A translation misunderstanding had been inadvertently insulting to the invited Seekers but they had gone anyway, in order to explain the error to the grounder, who had been nothing but charming and apologetic. 

Starscream had decided that he liked Megatron, and he was looking forward to seeing him fight. Before he could reach the top of the eyrie, something landed on top of him and then he was inside, being tackled as he transformed. In the back of his processors he was surprised his combat protocols didn't roar to life, only to realize a moment later as he was spread out on the floor that his trine was allowed to do such things. His Order had complete immunity for being his Order, but his Action was immune as much from a growing fondness of the uncultured, non-Vosian Seeker as from the coding.

"Off you oaf!" he snapped, glaring up at Skywarp, who was grinning down at him, giddy to have him back, and utterly unrepentant from his teek.

"No," Skywarp said, and kissed him before snuggling firmly on top of him, trapping him there. "How was the thing? What's Megatron like?"

Starscream ratted his wings in irritation, but didn't shove at the Action. It felt kinda nice, if he was honest with himself. "It went well. He's really quite respectable, apologized for his mistake in how the invitation was worded. He's going to fight Fyat in the arena soon."

"And you're looking forward to it," Thundercracker's rumble was somewhere between confused and offended. "Why?" 

"He's intriguing," Starscream said, stroking Skywarp's helm and smiling at the way his Action purred and nuzzled. He looked at his disapproving Order. "There's something very ... _attractive_ about him."

"It's called power and charisma," Thundercracker dismissed it with a shrug of his wings and closed a hand around Skywarp's wing. "Take us somewhere private," he told their Action quietly. 

In the time it took Starscream to process the order, they'd moved. Starscream was still on his back, but now there were pillows under him and it was much more comfortable. Then Thundercracker was snuggled against his side and petting his wings.

"You're drawn to power." Thundercracker added in the quiet.

"I suppose I am," Starscream said. "Is there something wrong with that?"

"Only if you can't control it when it's not in your best interest," Thundercracker said. "This Megatron may share our goals for now, but eventually he will not and we must be ready for it. He is a grounder and a revolutionary. He is not Seeker."

"You get too hung up on that," Starscream hummed. "Skywarp let me up." 

"No," Skywarp told him again, snuggling determinedly. 

Starscream huffed and looked at Thundercracker.

"And neither of you notice it enough for our good," Thundercracker grumbled. "One of us must remember what we are. Now, tell me about Megatron."

"He asked us to extend his apologies to our duty trines," Starscream said, scowling as his silent request was ignored. "He's very warm, intelligent for a grounder. He's clearly pushing for an official alliance, and soon."

"Which he'll have," Thundercracker murmured as he continued petting his Vision's sleek wings. "The Trine Elect and flock Orders all agreed before the contest for an Air Commander began. It is only a question of details and political maneuvering now. How is it, being the Air Commander's second?"

"Despite it not being the position I clearly deserved, it is sufficiently respectable," Starscream said. "Tumbler at least respects my skill."

"It also means that when he falls, you are the most likely successor," Thundercracker said quietly, an uneasy flicker in his field and wings. "You will succeed him until someone challenges you that you can't take down. Those are challenges I cannot help you with."

Starscream frowned at him. "Of course you can't," he said. "I'm _better_ than you. And I can hold my own against anyone who wants to challenge me."

"You're good, Starscream, but you aren't better than me. Not yet," Thundercracker rumbled. Despite the annoyed sound, his field didn't contain any anger. "You command because I don't want to. Not that high up."

"Well that just says something about your character," Starscream said, rolling his optics. "And it doesn't say _strength_."

"That I agreed to lie about you says far more about my character than my lack of desire to command," Thundercracker's tone was even, but his field expressed just how little spark he had left. It was a silent warning to both his trinemates to keep an optic out for a new Order to bring into their lie.

"Thundercracker..." Starscream said, staring at him.

Skywarp immediately pushed himself up and off of Starscream and crawled to Thundercracker's lap, chirring and clicking his distress at his Order's sudden teek. Thundercracker slid an arm around him and rested his forehelm against the crook of Skywarp's neck.

Starscream sat up and put his hand on Thundercracker's shoulder. "You lied because you know I'm good," he said. "You're making a sacrifice for your kin."

"A sacrifice. Yes, I suppose that's all it really is, in the end. A small price to pay." Thundercracker huffed and forced himself to focus on the moment, where things were as they should be within his trine and not on the future, the war, and what it would cost them all. "A small crime no one will care about when it's over."

"Something that shouldn't have to be a crime in the first place," Starscream said as Skywarp nuzzled him.

"Perhaps when you command all of Seeker-kind, it will not be," Thundercracker murmured, content to be within the embrace of his trine and sheltered from his duties for a time, no matter how short.

"Perhaps when I am the grand ruler of Cybertron," Starscream said with a smirk while Skywarp coaxed Thundercracker to lay down with him. Starscream propped himself up on his elbow next to them. "And then you will be regaled as the Order who made it all possible."

"I would rather be forgotten than remembered as one who betrayed all he believed in," Thundercracker whispered as he gathered Skywarp close. "Spread my dust with my fellows, speak of what I was before Vos fell and allow me to have the peace of being forgotten. If there is a Well of All Sparks and Primus, perhaps when all here have forgotten my designation, I will be allowed to forget what I have and will do."

Starscream looked at him, then shrugged. "Whatever you say," he said. 

Skywarp glared at him before looking to his mate and stroking his helm. "Don't talk like that. You haven't done anything bad your whole life." 

"Every spark judges itself, my love," Thundercracker caressed Skywarp's wings, trying to soothe him. "I have broken my oaths, turned my back on my culture, betrayed everything I was raised to be. The price will be high, whether it is execution in this frame or of my own making afterwards. Mine is not a designation I would have remembered for anything past Vos's destruction. I have done too much already."

Starscream flopped down with an exaggerated x-vent. "You are so dramatic. Honestl--ow, hey!" He glared at Skywarp, who had taken his wingtip in hand and twisted it. "Jerk." 

"Glitch," Skywarp said before looking sadly at Thundercracker. "You saved _me._ "

"Yes, and I would do it again, knowing full well the price," Thundercracker said seriously. "It is a price I willingly pay for you."

"And I'd do anything for you and I love you so you can stop thinking that you're worthless because I know that you're not," Skywarp said. "I wouldn't be alive without you, and I think you're worth the world, which means you are."

Thundercracker brought their forehelms together and smiled softly. "It is not that I think I am worthless, love. I have committed grave crimes. I will commit many more. I must pay for them."

Skywarp scowled at him. "They're only crimes 'cause some stupid Seekers forever ago said they were. They're stupid rules."

"He's right," Starscream commented next to them. "If anyone is even listening to me." 

"I am an Air Martial," Thundercracker shuddered between them, wanting the comfort and to believe them so badly it hurt. "My _function_ is to enforce the laws. What are we if we do not have our honor?"

"Mecha," Skywarp said, shrugging. "Honor is just a fancy word to make mecha feel bad about themselves so they do what you want them to. You just gotta be a good person, that's all that matters."

"So what defines 'good?'" Thundercracker asked patiently.

Skywarp thought about that for a few moments, biting his lower lip in deep concentration. "Not making anyone else sad on purpose," he finally decided.

Thundercracker managed a small smile as a flicker of pride crept into his field. He tipped their helms to claim a slow kiss, offering as much as asking if his lover wished to end the painful talking with pleasure. Skywarp melted into it, the anxious tint to his field easing back as he relaxed, then lay his head down on his mate's chest. He tucked his face to Thundercracker's neck and snuggled in answer.

* * *

Megatron stood before the citizens of Kaon and refugees and hopefuls from a dozen cities. Seekers dominated the rooftops, though they were not the only airframes about. On his right stood Soundwave, on his left stood Tumbler, his trine and the Trine Elect. This was political theater and they all knew it. He signed the treaty forming the Decepticons and declaring war first, committing this act of treason before any others. It was his dream, his vision, and it would be his spark first on the line. He offered it to Soundwave who signed and passed it to Tumbler, who signed and handed it to Mocca. Once it was done, the leaders all looked out to the gathered audience. 

"Wartime is upon us," Megatron said, his voice a deep rumble of thunder that vibrated with his passion. "Iacon, home of the Senate and the Prime, has refused our demands, and left us with no options. They have threatened physical force as they have used before, but we will be the first to strike! Seekers, Kaonites, Tarnians, we will all stand together against these oppressors of equality!" 

Cheers answered him and Soundwave signaled for one of his cassettes to reveal the new insignia that their army would take. "Behold the symbol of the Decepticons," Megatron announced proudly. "We will bear this with pride and strength! May this mark strike fear into the sparks of our enemies and stand for generations to come as a symbol of equality and justice!" he roared, his voice carrying easily to the farthest listener.

The crowd roared back, cheering the Decepticons, the new sigil and the war that was coming.

Megatron waited for the roar to subside before speaking again, smoother but no less passionate. "All who would serve are welcome in our ranks, no mecha is too small or unimportant. We need everyone, no matter your skills, to make this happen! From the scientist who designs our weapons, to the medic who fixes our frames, to the fighter who gives his spark, I call upon all of you to serve your nation with strength and pride!"

There were more cheers and mecha began to line up, some rowdy and some calm, for the sign-ups. Not that much was demanded. Just a designation, any useful skills and if they wanted the insignia painted or dyed onto their base metal so it would never come off unless the dye was stripped. It was even subtly stated that the designation didn't need to be the real one. It was just what the mecha wished to be called now.

"We will report when we have dyed and recovered our wings," Tumbler told Megatron.

"Of course," Megatron said, nodding his helm gracefully to the flier who was now, effectively, his Second in Command, although the Seekers had bristled when he had suggested it before. Tumbler saw himself as an equal--a _better_ \--and Megatron understood that the Seekers would always be loyal to him first. 

Tumbler whistled shrilly as he took off into the air and the rest of the Seekers followed immediately, the roar of their engines blocking everything else out for those kliks. Tumbler took the lead with his duty trine, Starscream's on his left and Fyat's on his right. 

They landed outside Kaon, in an area big enough for all of them. The skill of mixing the dyes to make the desired color was a function, a lifelong dedication, and it came with intense artistic training to use the colors in the way desired. Even the most humble of beginners that had the right to call themselves metal dyers was the product of centuries of training and specialized mods. Among the Seekers, there was only one, a Vision from the outer fringe of their fallen city. He was not skilled by the standards many had, but he had completed his training and his apprenticeship and he was certified. With a task as relatively simple as this, he could manage. 

Skywarp's wings would be the most difficult by far, so the teleporter was slotted to be among the last despite his rank. The same was true of the military mecha and Air Martials. All of them had very complex designs that would need to be tinted to match their background color and then tinted again to the purple of their new insignia.

What little of his former master's stock Visage had been able to recover from the ruins of Vos was standard, do-it-yourself, over-the-counter dye that was only suited for the most common and basic of colors. Kaon had supplied the metal dyer with everything else he needed, along with offers for help from their experts, but the Seekers were determined to keep the task amongst themselves. Those foreign experts would have individual Seekers with complex bases looking for touch-ups later, but this mass dyeing would be all them.

Of all the fliers, Starscream had some of the easiest wings to dye, and he was among the first group. 

"I actually have what I need for white in stock material," Visage said with a relieved smile as he pulled out a small jar and offered it to Starscream. "You won't take long at all. Just have the area's chromates dissolved and anyone can apply the dye once it's dry with the stencil and sponge." He handed one of the stencils of the insignia over. "The stencil can be reused once cleaned, but throw the sponge out when you're done, unless someone with this same shade needs it."

"I'm not until the very end," Skywarp chirped, appearing next to him. "Can I do it?"

"Yes," Starscream canted his wings in agreement. "That would be suitable."

"Yay!" Skywarp gleefully snatched the items from Visage and immediately teleported Starscream away. 

Thundercracker looked startled when they appeared, then glanced at Skywarp's hands, and then looked at Starscream. "You trust him with your wings?"

"I _am_ trusting him with my wings," Starscream used the deepest, most expansive version of the glyph, the one that spoke of trusting to protect in flight, in battle, in recovery and beyond. It spoke of _trine_ and trust, and Thundercracker smiled.

"Now hold still," Skywarp chirped eagerly as Starscream lowered himself down. "Dissolve first, then dye." He looked at the two containers in his hands. "Pretty sure this is the first one." 

Starscream gave him an alarmed look. 

"I'm sure, I'm sure," Skywarp said, and carefully went to work rubbing the solvent around the area where the insignia was to go and trying not to block too much of Starscream's vision with his own starfield patterned wing. "Chin up or down?"

"Up," Starscream said. "It needs to be facing properly when I fly."

"Agreed. I do wish he'd put a bit more thought into it. Good insignia look good in both modes," Thundercracker flickered his wings and held his hand out for the solvent. "I'll do this side."

"He is a grounder, it is to be expected," Starscream said, x-venting as an odd relaxation came over him with both of his trinemates' hands on his wings and their fields enveloping him with the care and focus of _trine_.

"True enough," Thundercracker muttered. "We're going to have our work cut out for us managing that untrained mob he's calling an army."

"Mhmm," Starscream hummed, largely unconcerned with the cares of the world for the moment as he sank into the peace of his trine. 


	10. Reality of War

As first battles went, Starscream decided this one was probably not too bad. He was still alive, after all, when Tumbler sent the clear-out call over the comms, despite the best efforts of the grounders beneath them in the energon processing and shipping plant. It was heavily guarded as a main fuel source for Iacon, and Megatron had picked this as one of the targets in a calculated series of opening strikes. 

The planet was at war.

He dodged anti-aircraft fire easily, and looped circles around the Imperial fliers, but he was still relieved to pull back, after the plant had been reduced to nothing but smoldering ruins. Grounders had done sabotage inside and stolen as much fuel as they could, and the Seekers had taken care of the rest. The shipping yards were equally demolished, cutting off a key economic pathway between Iacon and the remote jurisdictions. 

Starscream landed at the gathering point and transformed and realized his hands were shaking and his spark was pulsing far too rapidly to be normal. "Thundercracker...?!"

The steady field of his Order was against him the next instant, along with the charged excitement of his Action as they folded around him, shielding him.

"You did well," Thundercracker whispered.

"Yeah it was fun," Starscream said, words coming a bit too quickly. His fans felt like they were running fast enough to throw a blade. "No damage. Did you think it was fun? I thought it was fun. Are you hurt? I don't think I should be shaking this much."

"Lots of fun," Skywarp trilled, his wings quivering with excitement as he leaned in to claim an eager kiss from Starscream.

"Fun?" Thundercracker shivered in disgust and distress. "No. I do not find slaughter _fun_."

"We gave them warning," Starscream said, gasping against Skywarp's mouth. His attention and the _thrill_ that was still coursing through him shifted to Skywarp and his hand went around the back of his Action's neck. "Coulda run or surrendered."

Thundercracker sighed, muttered something about mechlings and immortality, and allowed himself to be drawn into the post-battle desire to reaffirm their survival. "When it's not so exciting you'll stop trembling afterwards. It's just the latent battle-charge looking for a way out."

"Right right yeah," Starscream said, distracted now by the way Skywarp was pressing against him. "That was--that was--"

"It _was_ ," Skywarp agreed, and his hands started to perform a systematic search of Starscream's frame for damage before the Vision grabbed them in his own and held. 

"Nuh-uh." Starscream linked their fingers to keep Skywarp's still.

"When we're alone," Thundercracker whispered before tipping Starscream's face for a kiss as his spike cover slid back. "For now, let's burn off the extra energy."

"Yes," Skywarp said with a sharp, wanting whine from his still-hot engines. Starscream's hands stayed with his, helping them keep still as Thundercracker joined them in the petting and kissing. He was the least frantic of all three, and the soft, almost gentle touch soon made Starscream growl. 

The Vision's attention turned completely as he grabbed Thundercracker's shoulders and pressed back with a demanding rev. He was met with reflexive resistance, and then Thundercracker allowed Starscream to push him down. The blue Seeker was tense, unfamiliar with such a subordinate posture of lying on his wings with this mech, but he didn't fight the demand.

Starscream grinned viciously and rocked his hips once before his valve cover slid back. "C'mon, give it," he nearly growled before turning his head for Skywarp's demanding kiss. He rubbed their plating together, holding Thundercracker firmly between his thighs, one hand on his collar.

Powerful engines rumbled, but not to generate the fear-inducing vibrations Thundercracker was known for and the blue Seeker's spike extended. Thundercracker didn't teek as completely ready and revved up, but he was ready enough. It wasn't like Starscream was calm enough to notice or even really care. The Vision wanted a spike inside, _now_ ; hardness and length were secondary. 

"S-Star," Skywarp gasped, his hands still trapped in one of Starscream's, and he pulled down, guiding his Vision to his spike panel. Starscream bucked on Thundercracker and let go of Skywarp to press his palm to the cover, rubbing. It snapped open immediately and Skywarp pressed against Starscream's back, eager and trying to nudge him to lean forward enough so he could press inside the burning hot Seeker. _That_ was finally enough to make Thundercracker rev and he bucked upward, into Starscream and grabbed his shoulders to pull him down for a kiss that would expose him to Skywarp's efforts.

Skywarp grabbed the backs of Starscream's thighs and pushed them forward and apart, his spike hard and aching and rubbing against Thundercracker's. He pushed clumsily, too charged up to think, just aware that he _wanted_. 

The tip suddenly slipped past the rim and the valve tightened in around both of them as Starscream hissed. Skywarp whined and gasped, trembling with only trine code holding him still enough for his Vision to adjust.

"You like spike. Let us _fill_ you," Thundercracker panted at the intensity of feeling a second spike press against his inside their trinemate.

"Why don't I _make_ you fill me," Starscream managed, and pushed his hips down suddenly. Skywarp gave a startled cry as his full length was taken in and pressed against Thundercracker's, and Starscream's wings hiked up, rigid. He held there, clenching in and out around them. 

Skywarp whined, and then bucked, and then when the friction created a dizzying wash of _pleasure-good-charge_ across his sensor net, bucked again, and then couldn't stop himself. His need and stronger frame drove Starscream against Thundercracker and the more experienced Seeker had his work cut out for him to keep the interfacing stable and mutual, largely by bracing Starscream against the powerful driving force against his back and hips. It very quickly devolved into rutting, with Skywarp driving the pace as Starscream rode both of them. What little fear Starscream had that they would seem too _trinelike_ vanished when he couldn't even think beyond forcing his hips to move in time with Skywarp's, and staying seated in Thundercracker's lap. 

None of them knew how long it was until they collapsed on top of each other, or how long it took to recover, but the first thing to register for Starscream beyond the presence of his trinemates on either side was that they weren't anywhere close to where he'd landed. He pushed himself up and looked around and didn't see any of the rest of the Seeker army, most of which had been just as ... _engaged_ as they had been. Instruments told him their position wasn't too far off, but it was definitely out of sight range. "Skywarp," he sighed, and flopped back down, sending a brief ping to Tumbler to let him know they were safe. 

A pink of thanks came back, along with a hint of amusement.

"That was _awesome!_ " the black Seeker giggled before nuzzling Starscream.

"We have got to work on you not warping during overload," Thundercracker sighed from under them.

"I only do it sometimes!" Skywarp protested, and upon realizing just how far they had taken them, began the tactile search of his Vision's frame that he had been denied before. 

"What if there was a smelting pit right here and you warped us into it?" Starscream asked as he untangled himself from the pile and held his arms out to give his Action better access to his frame. 

"Would have warped out before the heat even registered," Skywarp said absently. "Warped into reactors to drop a bomb and got out. Safeguards make sure I don't warp into solid things too."

" _Really_ ," Starscream said, pondering that for a few moments before he opened his mouth again. 

"Don't," Thundercracker said. 

Starscream gave him an affronted look. "You don't even know what I was going to say!" 

"You were going to ask him to 'warp you into a reactor," Thundercracker said, fully sated and relaxed, optics not even online. "And I'm saying don't." 

"You are a _kill_ joy," Starscream said, laying down on his back. Skywarp relaxed next to him, finished with his frame search. 

"Whose job it is to keep two hyper, no-common-sense _mechlings_ alive through a war," Thundercracker muttered back. "Skywarp, I thought you didn't remember anything from Ops?"

"I don't?" the teleporter answered uncertainly. "Not like active memory or anything. Just I _know_ stuff sometimes."

Starscream hummed and rolled onto his stomach, resting his arms and chin on Skywarp's chest. "Some part of you was aware."

"I guess," Skyward shrugged, content to remain where he was, snuggled with his trine. " _I_ wasn't aware for most of it and _I_ don't remember what I did. Bits just come around sometimes."

Starscream thought about that and then shrugged and resettled his wings. "As long as you know you wouldn't kill us in a reactor," he said, and sighed. "Feels better without all that charge."

"Yeah, it does. Feels better to snuggle with you both," Skywarp trilled and tipped his helm to nuzzle Thundercracker as he petted Starscream's helm.

"As complicated as his warping processors are, I think it's safe to say he's incapable of warping into any fatal environment without warping right back out," Thundercracker smiled as he petted Skywarp's near wing. "We really do need to work on this unintentional warping though."

"I can't _help_ it," Skywarp said with a trilling purr as he stretched. "Just feels so _good_."

Thundercracker hummed. "So now they're you're both settled, what do you think of the battle?"

"Way easy," Skywarp snickered. "Nothing came close to hitting me and they blew up so easy!"

Starscream smirked at him. "Because you get to cheat," he said. "It was ... exhilarating," he decided. "Never done anything like it. Asteroid fields are bad, but at least they have fairly predictable behavior. And those Iacon _scum_ will really get the message." 

"Yes, that we are a real threat," Thundercracker agreed, though he was less enthusiastic about it. "Did you make any flier kills?"

"One, possibly," Starscream said, while Skywarp shook his head. "Depends on if he survived the crash or not. Have you ever?"

"Yes," Thundercracker said grimly. "Nine as an Air Martial, one while off duty and four today. When you kill a flier, learn their designation and remember it as flock."

Starscream scoffed. "What kind of ridiculous nonsense is _that?_ " he said, completely missing the way Skywarp tried to motion for him to stop talking. 

The rumble of Thundercracker's engines pitched to sing of terror fed by rage and suddenly Starscream was on his back, face to face with Thundercracker in full domination mode as the vibrations caused every system in him to panic. "I realize you have no use for you race or culture but to fuel your own ambitions and prove you're better than everyone. That _nonsense_ is from a warrior who outlived three trines and should have outlived all of us. He was _better_ than anyone I know, including myself. You _will_ accept his instructions on how to be a warrior without losing what's left of your decency."

"Sheesh all--all right!" Starscream said, trying to sound unaffected but there was no hiding the shaking in his voice or the very obvious fear in his frame. "I'll find out his designation!"

Thundercracker's engine harmonics settled, though there was no missing he was still furious as he shifted off his target. "I'll teach you how to be a decent mecha if it destroys us."

"Yeah well good luck," Starscream snapped as he sat up, both irritated and embarrassed and failing to hide the latter like he very clearly wanted to.

"I mean it," Thundercracker growled, his wings lifting in a threat-warning.

"Yeah well so do I!" Starscream turned away with a huff and set his wings flat and sullen. 

Skywarp sat in the middle, looked between them both, and sighed.

* * *

Some battles were airborne and calm, silent, easy patrols from the sky as the grounders lived the hell the Seekers flew well above. 

Others were chaos. And as time went on, the chaos became more familiar. Battle-trained fliers were being brought in from all over Cybertron, mecha brave enough to take the Seekers on, screaming for victory the entire time. 

It was easy to get lost in the chaos, and by the time they realized what had happened, he was long gone. 

Thundercracker would have screamed. " _Skywarp! SKYWARP!_ "

Starscream would have torn through the wreckage, flown past every survivor. 

Skywarp onlined his optics, shaking. It was dark, the air was still and stale. He was chained, he couldn't warp. "H-hello?" he asked into the silence. No wind, no sky, no sound, no movement.

This was not good. Memories came back, fast and hard. Memories he'd buried. The prison in Tarn. Other things too, locations and times and events he couldn't place. It was all bad. Good things never came of stale air.

He jerked and tried to figure out where he was secured. If he could get away from the bindings--even if it meant ripping off an arm--he'd be able to jump straight up. There was sky up there. From the sky he could find Thundercracker. 

But he came away with readings coming from his arms, wrists, legs, ankles, wings. Creeping despair was starting to seep from the air. Even if he managed to get everything else free, his wings would keep him trapped. He wasn't desperate enough to tear them off. He was sure he'd _never_ be that desperate. They were more than just his wings. They were all he still had of his creators, the intricate warping starfield that enchanted Starscream had been dyed by his carrier.

A hint of movement, the sound of a door being pushed open, then steps came towards him. One pair of red optics, two pairs of blue.

"H-hey, um, I--I think you got the wrong flier..." Skywarp said, with a forced, terrified smile.

"You're the teleporter, Skywarp. Terrorist of Tarn, then weapon of Vos, now weapon of the Decepticons," the red-opticked on said as Skywarp got a look at the simple groundframe. "We got who we were after."

"Oh..." Skywarp's wings drooped. "I-I'm really sorry if I--I hurt someone ... I never meant to I promise. Please, I--I'll, it's really dark..."

"Poor little Seeker doesn't like the dark?" one of the blue-opticked ones sneered. "Don't worry. You'll be in a nice bright place while we learn how your ability works."

"Um," Skywarp said, biting his lip. "I mean, I guess you could try but I think it's really hard to figure out because everyone else who tried couldn't figure it out. I can show you though if you unchain me?" he added hopefully.

"Not while you have enough energy to warp more than a few paces," the red opticked one snorted, then came close enough for Skywarp to teek. He was all but giddy with anticipation and left Skywarp feeling violated just from their fields mingling. "No, for now I'm simply going to copy everything inside you and then we'll get to work dissecting you when I know what I'm looking for."

"O-okay," Skywarp said, trying to make his voice sound braver than he felt. "D-d'you have a place with a--m-maybe a window? I can help you lots better there...."

"Maybe if you're real good," a hand came up to caress Skywarp's primary dataport. "We'll even move you to a room with a clear _wall_."

Skywarp nodded rapidly. Cooperate, he just needed to cooperate, and then everything would be okay. The dataport spiraled open and a cable was plugged in. It wasn't at all like hardlining with his trinmates. This felt heavy and invasive. It made everything it touched ache and it was touching _everything_ as it rolled through his processors and hardware settings.

He tried not to fight it, but it was hard, and instinctive firewalls kept slamming up only to be torn back down like they didn't even exist. Skywarp had never felt a firewall torn down by force and he didn't like it. "W-wait--can you go slower?"

"This is as slow as the software goes," the red opticked one said with something of a grumble. "It's as fast as it goes too. You've got one funky processor."

"Bet other parts won't be as jacked sideways," one of the blue opticked mecha said. Skywarp was starting to call him Bluehands.

"You know how hot Seekers run," Blackface, the other one with blue optics, grinned and there was nothing good in that look.

Skywarp was fairly sure the red opticked one was the interrogator and the other two just guards. Maybe they would go with him, he really hoped so, because he didn't like the way they were starting to teek. "I-it's the flight engines," he said. "Th-that's why." He winced at one particularly uncomfortable squirm of the software through his coding. "Are you almost done?"

"Half," the interrogator responded, paying more attention to the device hooked up to Skywarp than to the Seeker. The guards were another matter. Bluehands had moved forward to scrap his claws down a wing.

They twitched away instinctively and Skywarp winced, disgust rolling through his field. "Please don't..."

"You plead so nicely," Bluehands grinned, heavily aroused and anticipating what was coming.

"Knock it off," the interrogator growled at him. "You're slowing down the recording."

Bluehands grumbled but backed off and stood next to Blackface as they both leered at the bound Seeker while the data transfer worked.

"Don't _break_ him. I need him functional," the interrogator grumbled at the guards as he unplugged from Skywarp and turned to leave.

" _Break?_ " Skywarp repeated. "Um--" The guards didn't seem to be leaving. "Aren't you going to... I-I can't tell you anything, I don't know how it works either..."

"We don't want you to talk, Seeker," Bluehands grinned as he closed his fingers around Skywarp's valve cover. "Just scream."

"Yeah," Blackface rumbled eagerly. "We're really not so worried about the talking part."

Skywarp whined and squirmed. "W-wait, no, please, I--I did what you wanted!"

"You did," Interrogator said, and glared at the pair. "I know you two are grunts, but seriously, move him to a room with a view of the sky. Now. I keep my word and so should you."

"Yeah yeah, whatever," Bluehands said, sneering at Skywarp, who was squirming and staring at him in horror. "We'll move him."

"Good. Don't lose him while you're doing do," Interrogator insisted before the door closed behind him.

The two guards looked at each other and smirked. "Sure, we'll move you, after we've 'fragged you into stasis."

Blackface reached for Skywarp's valve cover once more as Bluehands moved to loosen the chains binding Skywarp's pedes.

"It--you don't--wait--!" Skywarp pleaded fruitlessly after Interrogator, kicking at Bluehands. "You're not allowed to do that!"

"Says who?" Blackface tore the valve cover off.

Skywarp yelped in shock, pain, indignation. "Rules! I gave you what you wanted so you have to stop!"

The pair laughed and hooked loose chains under Skywarp's knees to hold them up and out, spreading his legs indecently wide.

"You gave him what he wanted, and he gave you what you asked for," Blackface smirked and thrust hard into the unprepared valve. "You're giving _us_ what we want now."

Skywarp whined and turned his head away, optics flickering off. He could feel the pull of the building holding him down as panic tried in vain to teleport him out. "He said you have to take me to a window _now_ ," he protested, and shuddered in pain as the grounder pulled out. "Please," he added meekly.

"He said not to lose you too," Bluehands sneered as he began to paw at Skywarp's wings once more. "We'll move you as soon as you're in stasis."

"Okay," Skywarp whispered. His wings tried to twitch away from the groping and he did his best to stop the unhappy sounds from coming out of his vocalizer, but they came anyway. If he cooperated, they'd take him to a window. He held still while they took turns with him, shuttered his optics and tried to think about Thundercracker so he could overload and go into stasis faster. The last thing he was aware of was hands on his wings as Blackface spilled inside.

When he booted again, it was with an almost desperate speed that hurried through the start-up, leaving his processor hurting worse than it already did, and he forced his vision online so he could see clear sky. 

But the air was stale, the room was dark, and the chains were the same. They hadn't moved him. The keen that escaped him tumbled into an angry growl that they not only broke their promise to him, but to their commander. How could _any_ society function without respect for the Orders? His wings shuddered against the metal walls as he forced his vision offline once more and thought of home, his trine and focused on how sure he was that they'd do anything to get him back.

* * *

"What do you _mean_ he isn't going to look for him?!" Thundercracker shouted, claws shooting out and wings hiking up with fury. 

Starscream looked the exact opposite, relaxed, reclining in a window seat as he regarded his trinemate. "The resources required would not be worth _one_ Seeker," he said. His voice was flat and bitter, his own rage hidden deeper than his Order's. "Not according to Lord Megatron."

"He's not just _one Seeker_ ," Thundercracker hissed. "He's one of the command trines." Black hands tightened into fits and he pinged Tumbler. ::Do you know Megatron has refused to sanction further searching? You agreed to this?::

::I can't force him to use _his_ resources,:: Tumbler answered, voice tense. ::I'm doing what I can, Thundercracker, but chances are he's gone and you need to deal with that and find another Action. You know how many unidentified are still on the field.::

The tone was enough to make the mecha that still thought in terms of an Air Martial to flinch. ::Yes, Sir. I understand,:: he murmured, an apology woven deep in his harmonics. ::How many did we lose?::

::Almost two flights,:: Tumbler said. ::Shot down.::

::Too many.:: 

::Far too many,:: Tumbler agreed bitterly, before the line cut. 

Starscream was watching him. "Well?"

"Tumbler's doing what he can. It's Megatron's resources. We lost two flights, nearly half the fighting ranks...." Thundercracker didn't even know how to process that heavy of a blow. "We didn't train nearly well enough."

"How were we supposed to expect _that_ kind of anti-aircraft weaponry?" Starscream snapped. "Anyway Skywarp isn't dead. Can't be. He was there almost the entire battle, if he was shot down he'd be on _top_ of the wreckage and he isn't there."

"I know," Thundercracker snarled, though it wasn't directed at Starscream. "But if he's a prisoner than we need Soundwave's help to find him. That means Megatron has to agree to it."

Starscream hummed and looked out the window, arms crossed. "Megatron likes wings," he said after several kliks.

"So?" Thundercracker looked at him with a complete lack of comprehension. Despite that his wings twitched uneasily. He already knew his Vision well enough to be wary.

Starscream shrugged, sat up, and then stretched his arms up over his head, fingers trailing slowly and deliberately along his shoulder vents. " _So_ ," he said, wings canting seductively, "It's easy to persuade stupid grounders when they like something."

"You'd ... do that, to get Skywarp back?" Thundercracker couldn't make up his processors whether to be sickened, awed or grateful enough to swear not to force Starscream onto his wings again. He settled on staring with his wings flickering in his confusion.

"Oh please, I wouldn't do _that_ ," Starscream said, rolling his optics as he stood up. "How damaged do you think I am? No, just some friendly persuasion."

"For once having lived outside Vos for so long is going to be a social advantage," Thundercracker said, still rather bewildered by it as he walked up to Starscream and kissed him softly. "Thank you for trying."

The evident gratitude and tenderness in the touch caught Starscream by surprise and he pulled back, startled, to give Thundercracker a strange look. "Well he's trine, I don't have much of a choice do I?"

Thundercracker hummed. "Perhaps, but he is more than trine to me."

"Whatever," Starscream said, turning away and waving his hand carelessly. "It would look bad if I did nothing, anyway."

Thundercracker allowed his Vision the display of not caring. He knew the truth, that Starscream was beginning to genuinely care for Skywarp. The pair had things in common that very few Seekers understood, including their Order. It didn't matter that one was of Tarn and the other Iacon. In their sparks, they both called somewhere other than Vos home.

* * *

Starscream found Megatron in the control room, a place the former gladiator frequently relaxed in, and entered with his wings held high. "Megatron, I would have a word with you." 

Megatron raised an optic ridge at the cocky Seeker. "And what is that?" 

"There is ample evidence that my Action has been taken," Starscream said, and lowered his wings a little as he put a hand over his spark. "I am here on his behalf, to humbly request your aid."

"A humble Seeker, the universe must be coming to an end," Megatron chuckled, before turning serious. "What evidence is there? As I understand Air Commander Tumbler has not identified all the fallen."

"It is true," Starscream said, inclining his helm. "But Skywarp was seen, without question, not long before the call to fall back, and if he had been shot down, he would have been among the first discovered. Beyond that, his particular skills make him a prime target for capture, and also worthy of recovery." The Seeker's wings tilted forward, something that even Megatron had learned how to read, even if he could not understand the fine detail that other flight frames did. Ruby optics lifted up to him. "All I ask for is help."

Deep red optics, not of the quality of the Seeker's but similar in color, took in the stance and didn't hide that the flirting appealed to him. "Skywarp. He is the teleporter?"

"He is," Starscream said, and smiled. "You have a fine memory, Lord Megatron."

"You are correct, he would be a target for capture. How is he likely to respond to torture? If they have him, they would not have taken long to try and break or reprogram him," Megatron said grimly. "If they have damaged his processing, how well will he recover?"

"It depends on the damage, but he has survived the unsurvivable before," Starscream said, taking the interest as a sign he could approach "His processor is unlike anything I have ever seen, but most of it is beyond his control. As for the ... _other_ possibilities..." Starscream trailed off and sighed. "He sees good everywhere he looks. If they torture him, he will be confused, and then enraged. He is passive until antagonized."

Another nod greeted Starscream's statement, and a casual motion that the Seeker was welcome to come closer if he wished. "What aid are you seeking?"

"Skywarp can escape anything if he is not attached to it," Starscream said, and by now he was right in front of Megatron, and sank into a kneel. "A symbiot with the capacity to sever whatever is holding him down could be carried out with him once he was free. If a symbiot is not available..." Starscream settled his hands on one of Megatron's, meeting his optics. "Any aid you can spare, no matter how small, will mean the world."

"Because he is your trinemate?" Megatron rumbled, his field flaring with unmistakable desire that was as fierce as it was simple. The posture Starscream was in held many intense, erotic associations that were not being hidden from anyone. He shifted his fingers to stroke the hand on top of his.

"Because he is my _trine_ mate," Starscream said, carefully correcting the glyph to one that indicated a duty trine. "Because he is mate to the third. And he will make a loyal, valuable soldier for your cause." Starscream's engines hummed, warm and relaxed, and it had the desired effect of lightly fanning the fire in the grounder's frame.

"How self-aware does he need to be to teleport? How much energon is required? Would grabbing hold be sufficient to take the symbiot with him?" Megatron rattled off the basic questions he knew Soundwave would need answered.

"He only needs minimum consciousness to recognize danger and teleport away," Starscream explained. "With very little required energon. Yes, the symbiot holding on would ensure its return."

Megatron lifted a hand to stroke Starscream's dark face with a thumb. "I will give this a higher priority for Soundwave's intelligence gathering. Such a captive is likely to create chatter if they do have him."

Starscream dipped his helm and wings briefly in gratitude, and it let him press into the thumb. "Lord Megatron, we will not forget this generosity. _I_ will not forget this generosity. I will strive to fly ever faster for your cause."

"Is that your personal asset, your speed?" Megatron rumbled, his field licking at Starscream's with a non-too-subtle invitation.

"It is but one of many enviable attributes," Starscream said with a warm smile as he flickered his field back, then stood and withdrew his hand, gesturing up. "Though by far the most thrilling to demonstrate. I would happily fly for you."

"I would like to see you fly your best," Megatron rumbled and stood, willing to follow outside to watch. "Where did your designation come from?"

"I fly so fast the stars scream with envy," Starscream purred, and then glanced over his wing at the warlord with a wink. "At least, that's the polite version."

"Polite indeed," Megatron chuckled as they walked. "What other things do you excel at?"

"Well, not to brag but I _am_ a genius," Starscream said. "I excel at whatever I choose. Scientific pursuits and flight have been my fortes, though I never shy away from learning new skills. And you, Lord Megatron, what interests you?"

"Combat, and it seems revolution and breaking barriers," Megatron answered honestly. "I know more about structural integrity, demolitions, melting points and the value of materials than I care to contemplate, however the arenas taught me most valuable lessons for the war. Once I learned to read I found great rewards in understanding history, politics and philosophy. What fields did you study?" Despite the lack of intent behind it, the small flare of interest, genuine interest in Starscream's scientific pursuits, did infuse Megatron's field.

"As many as I could, but I specialized in molecular and theoretical physics," Starscream said, optics unfocusing a bit as his voice softened with nostalgia. "I had tenure at Iacon University, and research funding. I was looking into random quantum fluctuation and how it might be predicted and controlled for temporal molecular displacement."

Stunned shock hit Megatron's field first, then a scramble as he attempted to contemplate just how many ways that could be useful. "How close were you to practical testing?"

"On a molecular scale?" Starscream hummed thoughtfully. "Perhaps within a century, if my research had continued and proven fruitful. Anything sentient or substantial, though, nowhere near." He sighed, then shrugged. "Practical testing would have lasted beyond my lifetime before it produced anything useful, anyway."

"Pity. Did you have any subjects closer to a useful application?" Megatron asked, now thoroughly distracted from any thought of flirting as an offer far more appealing to his needs came into focus.

"Oh, plenty, I'm sure," Starscream said, waving his hand carelessly. "I have enough notes for it. Molecular properties on alien planets and how they may be exploited for energy, mass displacement, more efficient interplanetary travel." He shrugged. "The problem is finding anything close to a decent workspace, and time."

Megatron hummed thoughtfully. "Are you sure your greatest value to the cause are your wings? It seems to me that your processors are worth far more directed elsewhere."

"My _processors_ won't lead anyone to victory," Starscream said, though he didn't sound entirely certain as they reached the outer doors to the flight pad. "They will keep me locked away, surely. I have lived that life and seen it turn on me before."

"Perhaps not, but a good weapon or armor improvement _could_ win the war," Megatron pointed out as they reached the roof. "I would also point out that your experience when the establishment did not appreciate your presence, and indeed, used circumstance to be rid of you, is a rather different situation from where you would be as the Decepticon's Chief Science Officer."

"You seem to know more about me that I would have thought," Starscream said, stepping outside and stretching his wings. "Is that by luck or design, or just coincidence?"

"Your trial was planetary news, and Soundwave compiled far more once you joined us," Megatron explained with an easy manner. "Many of your accomplishments are still a matter of record. He is quite skilled at finding information and sending it to me when it is useful for me to know."

"I see," Starscream said, jumping up onto the ledge that hung over the drop off. "I am capable of using my wings and my processors together, you know. I didn't get this amazing by not flying for six centuries."

"Of that I have no doubt," Megatron purred, his optics roving the exotic lines that Starscream made. "You will make an exceptional officer if you continue to do as well in battle as you have."

"I know," Starscream purred back, deliberately twisting his frame to give Megatron the best view possible as he dove off the ledge. He vanished from sight, and there was a long, silent, still pause, before jet rockets roared as he shot up into the sky. He knew that all optics were on him, but he twisted and dove, slid through air currents and rolled all for the single pair that ruled the still-forming army. Despite that he was fully aware when his trinemate appeared on the edge of the field and wiggled his wings in and offer-request to join in, and to mate.

Starscream rolled into a tight spin-- _join me_ \--and waited until Thundercracker was in the air with him. ::He's going to assign Skywarp to Soundwave,:: he commed. ::And up the priority.::

::Good.:: The relief and thanks in Thundercracker's voice was deep as they began to spiral around each other, each movement a perfect mirror of the Seeker across from him. ::Was he grabby?::

::No,:: Starscream answered, worried about the nearby telepath. ::He enjoyed looking, and I let him look. This flight is to thank him for his kindness.::

::I hope he has a lover to burn off the charge with then,:: Thundercracker rumbled as their contact became closer. To grounders it would look ever more dangerous and daring, but to the pair involved and the other fliers around, it was openly erotic foreplay. What grounders did with touching, Seekers did with wind and field.

The battle had been brutal, Skywarp was almost certainly in pain if he wasn't already dead, and they might never have an answer. The need to fly together was overwhelming, and for those watching, it reaffirmed their own survival and will to carry on. 

Starscream tilted, forced warm air from his frame to stream over Thundercracker's belly, and the Order's field answered with a stroking caress that made Starscream's plating shiver. They parted and came back together, wingtips _almost_ hitting as they shot past, close enough to feel the pull of electromagnetic systems. Starscream fought against the images of what he _wanted_ to do and instead rolled in beneath his Order, bringing their bellies together with a demanding growl.

Against his nature, Thundercracker relaxed his engines and settled against Starscream's belly, his field confirming that Starscream was the dominant flier this time. Starscream would control their flight. Starscream would control the magnets that powered up to hold them together. Starscream's spike would discharge into Thundercracker again and again until they could fly no more.

Around them, holding a respectful distance and most well above them, other pairs began to form up. Some trinemates, some were lovers, some old and familiar with their partner, too many were still new to each other.

The hum of the magnets came online and pulled them flush, covers aligning before they snapped back and exposed heated housings that rubbed together. That contact alone was enough to pull Starscream's spike forward in an automatic sequence. It buried into Thundercracker and the ridges pushed out, locking him there. They spun together and Starscream shuddered in overload that shot deep into his trinemate. 

"What are they all doing?" Megatron asked Soundwave, who had come out to the flight deck to watch with him.

"Seekers: often interface in the air." Soundwave responded. "Blue Seeker: Thundercracker. Starscream's duty trinemate."

"I see," Megatron murmured, frowning a little. "All the others are doing the same?" 

"Affirmative," Soundwave answered. 

"Purpose of the behavior?" Megatron requested.

"Purpose: social bonds, reaffirming of life, burning of nervous energy. Interfacing while flying: requires great trust of dominant flier. Failure: frequently fatal. Strong associations: reproduction and sire claim. Seeker psychology: very complex, contradictory."

"Contradictory?" Megatron rumbled, glancing at him for a moment before looking back up to the sky and the pairs there. Some of them had a third flying with them--Megatron assumed the other trine member--who seemed to be staying in a guard position.

"Seekers: intensely individual, aggressive, independent. Code: forces large, complex social units, highly dependent on others," Soundwave responded.

"Indeed," Megatron murmured thoughtfully. He'd seen the bizarre social effects himself, and knew just the surface of the complex rules Seekers used to form their social structures and hierarchies. Soundwave had explained what he could, but much of it was indiscernible to any mech without wing sensors and the coding required to interpret the millions of positions they could hold their wings in. A change in the angle of an eighth of a degree could change the meaning entirely. "I'd like you to place moderate importance on finding out what happened to Skywarp."

"Affirmative," Soundwave agreed without hesitation.

* * *

The next time Skywarp saw any light that wasn't from his own frame, it was the red optics of Interrogator after something in his processors nudged him online. 

His snarl was immediate and violent. "You lied to me!" 

"I trusted them to follow orders. I shouldn't have," Interrogator admitted. "I will personally move you into a room with a window you can look out of as soon as we're done. A joor at most."

Skywarp gave him a wary look, but nodded at the truth of the first statement. The order _had_ been given, and ignored. "Okay."

"Your chains have been lengthened, are you capable of teleporting the distance they would allow you to move on your own?" Interrogator asked.

Skywarp shook his helm. "Still attached to the building."

"Even if you make no attempt to move the building?" Interrogator sounded surprised. "Try anyway."

"Never worked before," Skywarp grumbled but focused on shifting a handspan to his right, and _only_ shifting his own plating.

Nothing happened. Interrogator frowned as he poked around Skywarp's processors, making the Seeker twitch. "All right, try again," he finally said. "Once you teleport any distance I'll be done for today, but don't worry if it takes awhile." 

Skywarp's optics widened--teleporting meant _window_ \-- and he tried, he really did, concentrating so hard that his processors hurt, but joors later he hadn't even managed to flicker.

Interrogator looked disappointed but he finally told Skywarp he could stop. "I'm going to put you in stasis to move you. We'll try again tomorrow."

"Okay," Skywarp said before he sank into oblivion. The last thought echoing through his awareness was of _sky_.

Awareness returned and his optics latched onto the window he barely had to shift to see out of. He was underground, he knew that even if he couldn't explain how, but some effort had been made to reflect the sky down to him. It wasn't as good as feeling the wind, but it was an open path and he could see out. He curled up and gazed at the dim blue square and tried not to think about how much he missed Thundercracker. They probably thought he was dead. Their trine bond would break and Starscream would be exposed and they'd both be shunned. 

Or they could have died in that fight, Skywarp had no way of knowing. He whined softly and held his wings in tight to his frame as the bond wavered. 

No. _No._ His trinemates were the best fliers and they were still alive and they would look for him. Thundercracker loved him. Starscream needed him. They wouldn't give up without his spark chamber to grind and set free. So long as he had it they'd be looking for him.

He held onto that thought through the night, watching the occasional star pass where he could see. Not long after the sky lightened, Interrogator came back, holding a short set of chains. One end was around his own wrist, and the other he affixed to Skywarp before tapping on the dataport. Skywarp opened and Interrogator plugged in, and then broke a firewall and uploaded something deep into his processor core. 

"I have just uploaded a virus," he said. "Without the proper antiviral code, it will deactivate you in two joors. I'm going to unchain you, and you're going to teleport where I ask, and as soon as I have you back here and secured, I will run the antiviral. Got it?"

"Got it," Skywarp canted his wings in understanding despite the bindings on them. "Be good and come back or I'm gray in two joors."

"Yes," Interrogator said, and then Skywarp heard the distinctive sound of a pulse pistol charging up. "As an extra precaution, if you try to fight me, I won't hesitate to use this, no matter how valuable you are." 

Skywarp nodded and then felt the bindings around him release, probably in response to a wireless command from Interrogator, and he quivered with the effort it was suddenly taking not to jump straight up into the sky. 

"Across the room," Interrogator said.

The move was faster than Skywarp could think of doing it. Stuck without sky, chained up and trying to teleport the previous orn had wound his systems into a small frenzy at the command to move.

Interrogator gave no real outward reaction, but Skywarp could feel the excitement across the hardline. "Thank you," Interrogator said. "Now back to your previous position." 

Skywarp obeyed, holding very still once he was there while Interrogator observed the compiled data. 

"Straight up, please, as far as you are capable of going," Interrogator finally said, taking a firm grip on Skywarp's arm.

Again the leap began before Skywarp had fully processed the glyphs consciously and he groaned audible in relief at being in the sky once more, high above the ground with the wind whipping about him. His thrusters fired on reflex, already primed before the jump began. 

He even felt what might have been a smile through Interrogator's field as the grounder took in the view. "Do you know how far you jumped?" he asked.

"8.13 hics," Skywarp rattled off without thinking.

"And how do you know that?" Interrogator asked.

Skywarp tore his gaze from the stars and horizon to look at the grounder clinging to him for a brief moment. "Umm, same software that does the warping. I don't really have access to it, but it'll answer stuff like that when asked."

Interrogator hummed and looked around. "Do you see that tower?" he asked, pointing to the one he wanted. Skywarp nodded. "Do you know how far above it we are?"

"No," Skywarp said, shrugging. 

"Can you take us level with it?" Interrogator asked next.

"Sure," Skywarp answered, then warped directly down to the level of the tip of the tower. This one was a bit slower to initiate, but still moved far faster than Skywarp could think.

Interrogator asked him the distance and he answered, and then repeated the same exercise several more times, each time answering the exact distance. 

"All right..." Interrogator said. "In forty-eight nanokliks I want you to teleport to the ground. How far will that be?" 

"4.14 hics," Skywarp said, surprised that he had an answer, and then teleported. 

Interrogator's field beamed. "Back to your cell, please," he said.

Though reluctant to be inside again, Skywarp only hesitated a few nanokliks before teleporting directly into the room. His came to rest and cut his thrusters, already facing the window and staring out it. "I'm hungry," he said quietly. "I haven't refueled since before the battle."

"Ah, of course," Interrogator said, and handed him a cube of jet grade before manually refastening the locks around Skywarp's wings, legs, and wrists. He unhooked himself from the other chain and Skywarp felt a second upload right into his data core. "There you go, virus free."

"Thank you," Skywarp said between sips of energon. He remembered Thundercracker's lessons and didn't gulp it down, but he still finished quickly. "What next?"

"I have all the data I need for now," Interrogator said. "I'll be back when I need more."

* * *

Skywarp counted orns through his window and spent most of his time staring upwards, either waiting for Interrogator or thinking about his trine. He looked forward to Interrogator's visits because they meant getting to teleport and usually go outside at least once. He wasn't sure if Interrogator did it on purpose, but it seemed like it to him. 

He'd warped into reactors, smelting pits, up, down, sideways, proven that he could tell if there was anywhere to land beneath his pedes, answered countless distance questions, and had his processors probed more times than he'd bothered to count. He just wanted to go home. 

The door opened and Interrogator walked in, joined by two blue-opticked guards. Skywarp tensed. 

"You're being transferred today," Interrogator said. "I've pulled all the data I can, so you're being sent to general holding."

"General ... but I did everything you wanted." Skywarp objected, his wings quivering. "I've been good."

"You have been," Interrogator acknowledged as the guards began fitting extra chains and trackers onto Skywarp's frame. "Extremely so. That's why I never had to use force to get what I wanted. You are still being transferred, though I have made sure you will still have access to a window."

"Oh," Skywarp both drooped and perked up a bit. "Thanks. Umm, what's your designation?"

"Twister," the interrogator said, and plugged in. "Virus or stasis?"

There was an unusually long pause before Skywarp answered. "Stasis."

Twister nodded, then smiled for the first time that Skywarp could remember, and slipped him into the forced shutdown. 

When Skywarp came back online he was alone again, in a different cell. As promised, there was a small window he could look out. He fixed on it even as he tried to jump out there. He wanted out. Wanted to go home. He'd lost his status, his protection, there was no telling what these mecha wanted with him. He wasn't good for anything but what Twister wanted. Not in here.

"Well look who's online," a voice rumbled behind him. Skywarp looked over his shoulder and saw a large, heavily armored grounder with arm-mounted canons. "Never had a Seeker in here before. True what they say about needing windows?"

"What do they say?" Skywarp asked, uneasy and confused but instinctively edging away from the aggressive field. His thrusters hummed to life, but he knew it wouldn't help.

"That you get funny without 'em." The grounder crossed his arms over his chest and grinned. "Just remember that I make the rules around here and you'll be all right. We'll be getting to know each other a bit better, seeing as how close you've been with Megatron." 

"Okay," Skywarp started to settle. He could deal with this. Clear rules. Stated expectations. If he was good like before he'd be okay. And now he had a window that was directly open to the sky.

"That looks better," the grounder said. "How much do you know about Megatron's plans?"

"Umm, what everybody knows?" Skywarp shifted uneasily. "I'm not much for planning so they don't include me. That's for Orders. Well, I know he intends to destroy the government and start over 'cause this one's so messed up. He came to Vos and helped us when they didn't. He's been good to us. Starscream kinda ... likes him, I guess. Weird to hear him talk about a grounder with any respect. He barely respects his trine half the time."

The grounder was giving him a funny look as he finished rambling. "Right," he said slowly. "Your Imperial's good, no accent. You a spy?"

"Grew up in Tarn. Didn't learn Vosian till I was over three hundred. Didn't see Vos until then," Skywarp tried to flick his wings emphatically to back up the statement. "Creators were outcasts. How can a _Seeker_ be a spy? I mean, we're really obvious, aren't we?"

"A bit, yeah," the grounder said with a smirk. "Assuming you really are one and not just done up to look like one. What's Megatron's next target?"

"I _am_ Seeker!" Skywarp snarled in Vosian and tried to lunge forward, his wings as high as they could go and straining against the bindings.

The grounder reacted immediately, moving in and grabbing Skywarp's wings in his hands, pushing them forcefully down until the joint was straining. Skywarp instantly went limp. " _None_ of that," he growled, then shouted an order over his shoulder. "Catwalk, get me a plasma whip!"

"I am Seeker," Skywarp repeated in Imperial, trembling at the threat to his wings.

"Oh, you're still gonna pay for growling at me," the grounder warned as another one came in the door and pressed a whip into his hand. He flicked it to life and forcefully spun Skywarp around and down to his knees, and struck him hard on his wing.

The scream was sharp and high, as much from being startled by the intense rush of unexpected sensation as pain. "No, please, I didn't mean to--"

"You're--going--to learn--that I-do not--take--disrespect!" The words were punctuated with hits, all of them on the same wing as the other was yanked painfully. "Apologize!"

"I'm sorry Sir!" Skywarp keened, even his field expressing the apology as a few bits and pieces of not so old coding clicked together with the backing of Skywarp's survival protocols. "I won't growl again. Promise. Please!"

The hitting stopped, leaving Skywarp cringing and shaking, and the grounder shook him roughly. "Tell me what Megatron's next target is!"

"I don't know," Skywarp whimpered. "Orders don't tell me these things until it's time to move out."

The grounder gave a low, irritated growl and loomed over Skywarp, covering his frame, the hand that was gripping his wing starting to paw. "I can see you're going to need some time to adjust. Catwalk, mark this as an open cell." His attention turned back to Skywarp and he x-vented against the Seeker's helm and rubbed against his aft. "I'm sure you won't mind helping some of us relax, especially seeing as how you were so rude to me."

"Open cell?" Skywarp looked at him. "I can leave?"

Grounder snickered. "How stupid are you? You're chained to the floor! No, you're not moving. Open cells means anyone can come in. Just our way of getting to know you."

"Oh," Skywarp looked confused, but didn't question it.

The pawing on his wing continued and he tried to twitch them away, but it was no use. "How many bases does Megatron have?"

"Kaon. I've been there. I heard about Polyhex. There used to be something in the ruins of Vos. He might have done the same in Tarn. So four?" Skywarp tried his best.

"Better, but not useful," Grounder said. "Give you one last chance. Give me the cover designations of the spies in Iacon."

"I never asked," Skywarp whimpered. The questions were so much harder here. "Don't even know who to ask."

The whip struck his wing again, _hard_ , and then a hand was on the back of his neck and forcing him forward as far as the bindings on his wings would allow. A leg shoved between his, then another, forcing them open, and the grounder teeked _excited_. 

But Skywarp hadn't been able to answer his questions, why would he be so happy? 

And then the pawing started back up, but this time, it wasn't on his wings. Grounder wrapped his arm around Skywarp's waist and shoved his hand between his thighs. Skywarp didn't fight. He went lax and focused on erotic thoughts of his mate to help his valve slicken before it was violated.

"I see someone beat me here," Grounder rumbled when he felt the exposed platelets. The cover had never been replaced and the groping fingers pressed inside, feeling around. "You're cooperative. I like that."

The Seeker whimpered and focused inward, trying to ignore what was happening to his frame. He'd done his best, told everything he knew, and this was what he got for it. Fighting made it worse, but cooperating wasn't much better.

His wing was throbbing, he missed Thundercracker, and Starscream, and pit, he even missed Twister. He tried to think about his trine when Grounder's spike replaced the fingers, long before he was slick enough, and his valve clamped down in a futile effort to keep it out. That just made the friction hurt worse when Grounder pulled out but Skywarp couldn't make himself relax. 

"Hah, frag," Grounder panted. "They _are_ hot."

Skywarp whimpered, jerking with each thrust. He was only distantly aware that there was now a small crowd around him until someone grabbed his helm and pressed a spike against his lips. He didn't fight this either, but it was easier to make his intake and jaw relax than his valve. It just kept going as mecha traded him off and his mind finally went blank as he pulled away from his frame and huddled in the memories of trine and flock. 

A hand rubbed his injured wing, pulling him out of the stupor. Everyone was gone except Grounder. "We'll try again tomorrow," he said. "Until then, something else to motivate you." He walked around Skywarp and reached up to the window, palming the controls and blacking it out.

"No!" Skywarp cried, shaking and desperate. "I told you everything I know! I didn't lie! Please don't block the sky."

Grounder snorted. "You're pathetic. You can have sky when I get something useful."

Skywarp flinched but fell silent and turned inward once more. He didn't know how long he'd last like this, but at least going sky-mad would quicken his demise.

* * *

He'd long since lost track of time. They hadn't disabled his chronometer; the numbers simply didn't mean anything anymore. Most visitors came to use him, but a few simply wanted to hurt him and occasionally he was given a few sips of energon to starve off stasis. He was growing numb to it all, and despite wanting to live he wasn't resistant to being free of his frame anymore. 

The window had remained closed, making his slip from coherency smoother and some part of him questioned why he was able to think at all. Only one question kept coming to him, though he'd long since forgotten why it was important.

He didn't even twitch when Grounder walked in.

"Another orn, another chance," Grounder said. "Tell me what Megatron is planning."

Skywarp looked at him with dim, unfocused optics. "To destroy the government. What is your designation?"

"Fender," the grounder rumbled in answer, and yanked at the chains attached to Skywarp's wings, tightening them. "What is his next strike target?"

"The Prime," Skywarp offered, finally pushed past the point where he cared if he lied or not. "Tyger Pax. Iacon. The Senate. Don't know what order. All at once."

Fender snorted and fiddled with the chains a bit more, pulling them out and forcing Skywarp's wings wide. The actual locks were pushed down closer to the center joint. "So you lied to me before?"

Skywarp looked at him with blank optics and a blank field. Numb. "Don't know anymore."

"You're useless." Fender stopped meddling with the bindings and moved around behind Skywarp. He ran his hand over the scarred surfaces of Skywarp's wings, tracing the patterns with his fingers. "These are pretty."

The appendages barely twitched, but it was more of a reaction that most of his frame offered anymore. "Starscream says that too," he mumbled.

"Does he," Fender mused. "Would he miss them?"

Confusion flickered across Skywarp's field as he looked up at Fender. "Don't know. He's weird."

"Would _you_ miss them?" the grounder asked, almost purring.

"Creators painted them," Skywarp said, utterly confused but now concerned. Nothing good happened when Fender was happy. "What's a Seeker without wings?"

"Let's find out," Fender said cheerfully, and the hum of machinery kicked to life, and Skywarp's helm whipped around in time to see the handheld grinder being pressed to his wingtip.

"What? No!" the Seeker screeched as coding even deeper than survival began to kick in and he thrashed, oblivious to the damage he was doing to himself as he struggled to stay clear of the grinder.

"Hold _still_ ," Fender growled, grabbing the center joint as he shouted for some of the other brutes that passed as guards. More hands came in around him and held him down and still and Skywarp continued to thrash against them as the sharp, pitted surface was pressed onto the flat plane of his wing, dragging down. Just from the pain, Skywarp knew it was eating through the sensory layer.

He bit, clawed, tried to warp. One abused thruster fired hot and he angled it at Fender without thinking. Anything to drive the monster away from his wings. 

He knew from the scream that he'd hit him and the pain stopped, but only momentarily before there was _weight_ on his thrusters, grinding down into them. His legs were pulled apart and when he tried to fire again, he felt the heat back up into his frame with no outlet. The grinding began again, and another joined in on the next wing, pressing much more forcefully. 

"You little glitch," Fender snarled, and Skywarp snarled back as the grounder came limping into sight in front of him. "You'll pay for that. Don't need your wings to teleport, do you, and that's _all_ they need from you. Grind them off, I don't care how long it takes."

Skywarp was all but beyond comprehending the spoken glyphs, much less the ones scrolling past his vision as damage report after damage report came in, telling him how much wing was gone and how much it would impact his flight performance. He could only scream and try to thrash. He didn't even register it when his denta crumpled partway with the force of a bite that took a chunk of armor from someone.

The blow that hit him after that dazed him to the point of limpness and he hung in the chains, trying to claw his way up into freedom, firing off nonstop commands to teleport away from the pain and damage and darkness. When his vocalizer shorted, he was surrounded by the sound of his own wings being ground away. The metal dust hung thick in the air, smoke and burnt circuits and screaming pain. 

Fender's face loomed in front of him, his voice was muffled and muted and Skywarp couldn't focus his optics through the glitching visual feed. 

_So what are you now?_

The mental silence was deafening until the answer came, and it smoothed Skywarp's field in a strange way. Absolute calm, yet he was no longer numb.

_I am Thundercracker's. My Order. My mate. Actions do not decide._

With that truth bright and clear in his processors, Skywarp began to relax. It was the same way he relaxed into the construct that was the agent he had been, the skeletal remnants that had remained. That cushion around his mind clicked into place. It knew what to do.

Right now, it said to calmly wait. Skywarp calmed and waited.

Gradually he became aware of the others leaving after committing more abuses on his frame and he stirred into awareness, optics looking up to the blacked out window. There was sky out there, he'd seen it before. 

He leaned forward, resettling, and realized dully that his wings were gone. He couldn't see anything behind and above. It would have been alarming if he wasn't so numb. There was nothing left to feel. Only a way to escape. He felt calculations executing but before he grasped what they were for his frame was in motion.

Pain surged through the abused frame and he screamed in silence through a shorted vocalizer. Not that he cared. Glitching vision told him more than error messages that he could no longer comprehend.

One hand had come off at the wrist. The other was missing the thumb and small finger. His wings were gone, the only thing that had been keeping him from tearing himself apart. The rest was worthless and doing nothing but keeping him trapped.

Thrusters kicked in on full power and even Skywarp realized that he'd tear more pieces off as the metal of his pede began to fail, sheering off to clear the shackles as his thrusters propelled him across the small room.

Then he was nowhere.

Then sky.

Glitching optics focused upwards with system-stuttering relief and all but the agent relaxed.

Another warp.

A third.

A fourth.

Hard ground under him, but he was looking upwards as lack of energy shut him down.

* * *

Starscream and Thundercracker responded to Megatron's summons, walking into the vast control room to find it populated by the warlord, Soundwave, and a flying symbiot. 

"Lord Megatron," Starscream said, frowning deeply. "Is there news?" 

"Indeed," Megatron said, and directed their attention to a screen as the Seekers joined him. "This footage was brought back. Before you watch it, I want you to know that he is both alive and in Decepticon care."

Thundercracker's relief not only rippled out in a thick wave in his field, but was displayed prominently in his wings. "Thank you, Lord Megatron," he said as he steeled himself. Skywarp was alive. Skywarp had been retrieved. Skywarp was being repaired.

He continued to repeat that to himself as the image began to play. It was from the air, a file from the black symbiot on display no doubt. It dove and weaved through buildings, sticking to the shadows. "Laserbeak: detected records of a Seeker prisoner transfer," Soundwave said, and then the video suddenly stilled and zoomed in on the ground for a moment before falling into a rapid descent. The image stilled again, this time much closer and clearer. 

Silence. 

" _What city is this,_ " Starscream finally hissed through gritted denta.

"Location: Tyger Pax." Soundwave answered.

"Autobot," Thundercracker rumbled, shaking as horror warred with rage. "Grounders. Nothing that flies would do that. Has he regained awareness?"

"Negative," Soundwave answered. "Skywarp: online, but does not respond. Returned: on his own power once Laserbeak fueled him. All external communication: has ceased."

The video zoomed further in, focusing on the lack of hands, and then panned down to the crumpled, torn legs. Both pedes were gone. 

"Do you know what caused that?" Starscream asked.

"Probable cause: self-inflicted to escape shackles." Soundwave responded. Starscream's answering hiss was vicious.

"What hospital is he in?" Thundercracker's focus went to what he needed to do as Skywarp's Order. "I need to speak with him."

"Come," Megatron said as the video cut after Laserbeak finished inspecting the stubs where the wings had been torn away. "I will take you to him."

"Thank you," Thundercracker's manners were well drilled into him and came to the fore even with a grounder. He made it all of eighty paces before he spoke. "Flying would be faster."

Megatron inclined his helm and let Thundercracker lead him to the flight deck. "Just hold on," Thundercracker got an arm around the heavy groundframe and focused on calibrating his new center of gravity while Starscream watched.

"He's in the ICU of KCH," Megatron said after Thundercracker lifted off.

"Understood," Thundercracker replied as Starscream lifted off with him and flew guard for his heavily burdened trinemate. 

"Do they have anyone who has rebuilt a flier's wings?" Starscream asked as the three of them flew to the central hospital. 

"If they do not, experts will be called in from Helix," Megatron assured them and the three fell silent until the Seekers set down and Megatron was on his pedes again. He led them unimpeded through the halls. "In here," he said, stopping outside one of the doors. "I'll wait outside."

Thundercracker nodded as well as canted his wings in thanks and steeled himself before stepping inside.

He wasn't sure what he'd expected, but seeing Skywarp looking so _small_ hadn't been it. The wingless frame fit completely on a bed made for grounders, and the legs looked strange and thin without their thrusters. There was a large window over the berth and another one beside it and while the red optics were lit, they didn't move in response to his trinemates' low moans. 

The single medic in the room looked up at them, saw Megatron in the hall, and tilted his helm in acknowledgement. "He was almost completely out of fuel," he said. "We're gotten more into him, but he still hasn't responded to us."

"I ... am not surprised," Thundercracker barely controlled the horror in his voice. Even seeing it on the vid hadn't prepared him for this. "Few would manage as well as he has in this state." He carefully stepped forward to push his field towards his mate and Action. "Skywarp?" he trilled in Vosian.

Skywarp twitched, and the stubs that remained of his wings moved in response to the voice as he tried to _look_ for Thundercracker, and he whined. His optics stayed fixed on the window, but after a few moments of feeling that field against his own, they shifted, slowly, to look for his mate. 

The searching was jerky and the focus kept landing just off enough that he couldn't get a good look. "TC," he murmured. "Can't really see." 

"His optics should be functioning normally," the medic said apologetically as he began taking scans of his patient. "Most likely he hasn't learned how to focus them without sensory input from his wings." 

"I've encountered this before," Thundercracker said quietly in Imperial as he rested a steady hand over Skywarp's spark. He focused on keeping his field strong, steady and expressing the love and devotion he felt for his mate. "Lock onto the sky?" he asked in Vosian. "They kept you from seeing it."

Skywarp nodded and his arm came up automatically, resting the limb over Thundercracker's as his optics sought the dusk-colored sky back out. "I told him the truth and he still took it away," he said, and there was a strange flatness to his voice. "Starscream liked my wings, he won't like me anymore." 

"Hey," Starscream said, stepping forward. The wing stubs moved in search of him. " _No._ That isn't true."

"We never stopped searching for you," Thundercracker said firmly. "Your wings will be rebuilt. You'll fly again. Helix has very good medics. They aren't Seekers, not many of them, but they are good fliers. You'll fly with us again, and we won't keep you from the sky."

Skywarp nodded listlessly. "It was dark," he whispered.

"Did you get any designations?" Starscream asked, nearly demanded, as his wings twitched in distress at not knowing what to do to help.

"Fender," Skywarp said, and curled in on himself, whining. "Told him the truth. Why can't I _see_ anything," he almost sobbed.

Thundercracker's concern to a frightened end and he stroked his fingers over Skywarp's main dataport. "Let me look."

Skywarp shook his head and pulled away. "No good anymore," he whispered. "No wings. Won't want me." 

Starscream knelt down next to Thundercracker and put his hand on Skywarp's helm, stroking. "We'll get you fixed up," he said. "You're safe here." 

Skywarp stared at them, optics spiraled wide, and he started shaking, and making a sound like he was crying, tucking his face against the berth.

"Skywarp--" Thundercracker started, and Starscream's wings lifted in alarm. 

And then the crying sound became decidedly ... _not_ , and the Order and Vision glanced at each other, and then back to their Action. "Skywarp...?" Starscream asked. 

"You--you should see your faces!" Skywarp exclaimed, and dissolved into laughter.

Thundercracker groaned and whacked him upside the helm. "You glitch! You _scared_ us!"

"I couldn't help it!" Skywarp gasped through his giggles, started to calm, saw their faces again and then it started all over. 

"For pit's sake," Starscream said, rolling his optics as he got his own swat in. "You're horrid, do you realize that?"

"I know I know I'm sorry," Skywarp said, and managed to get some control over himself, and then the humor abruptly faded from his frame and field. "I was really scared," he whispered, looking just to the side ofThundercracker. "I thought you would find a new Action and I'd never see you again."

"Not until I had your chamber in my hands," Thundercracker was just as serious. "You are more than just my Action. I won't give up on you so easily. Neither did Starscream. He thought to petition Megatron for the additional assistance that eventually found you. You are _ours_."

Skywarp's optics widened and went to Starscream, who glared at Thundercracker. "It wasn't a big deal, I just hate having to _walk_ outside when you aren't around," he said with a careless flick. 

"Lazy," Skywarp said with a faint smile, then tucked his face against Thundercracker's hand. "My wings," he whispered.

"They'll be rebuilt," Thundercracker promised. "We'll paint them. You'll be beautiful again."

Skywarp nodded and fell silent. Starscream moved to the head of the berth and carefully slipped onto it, bringing Skywarp's head into his lap, stroking his helm. Thundercracker nuzzled and kissed and murmured soothingly until the medic came back to put Skywarp into stasis for the next round of surgeries.


	11. Reclaiming His Wings

Thundercracker and Starscream stood by as Skywarp was brought up out of medical stasis, surrounded by a team of two Decepticon medics, one civilian sensory specialist, the only surviving fully trained Seeker medic and a Sierki wing-specialist from Helix. His hands and pedes had been repaired almost immediately after his return, but the wings had taken more time to build and sync. 

Even with the extra time taken, his trine had been warned that this was not going to be a quick recovery despite being physically whole. Connecting a new pair of wings was difficult, and frequently came on top of trauma, which hindered the connection process. Skywarp had new wings, but they weren't _his_ yet.

"Hello Skywarp," Mistral said in Vosian. "Do you understand me?"

"Sure," the black Seeker focused on the Seeker medic. "What's up, 'sides me?"

Mistral smiled at him. "Your new wings have been fully connected and preliminary stimulation tests suggest that the connections are strong and holding." He switched to Seeker-cant, his wings delivering the bulk of the message with sounds only refining it. It took properly tuned and sensor-linked wings to understand. "Do you still understand me?"

"Yeah, mostly," Skywarp had to focus harder than usual and stuck to Vosian. "It's ... fuzzy."

"Good!" Mistral praised. "Can you answer in 'cant as well? It doesn't matter if it isn't perfect.'

Skywarp glanced at Thundercracker, then focused on Mistral and tried to make the strange appendages attached to him behave. He didn't have the attention to add vocal cues to it, but he was reasonably sure the 'maybe' came across clearly enough. The pulse of support and relief-joy in Thundercracker's field got him to relax and smile, at least briefly.

"That is very good," Mistral said warmly, and led Skywarp through another short series of questions and muddled answers. "That's a good start," he finally concluded before looking to Thundercracker and Starscream. "Speak in 'cant as much as possible, and he should be encouraged to answer in the same, if he has the energy." 

"The most important thing is to not push too hard, too soon," the wing specialist added. He'd been watching and taking quiet notes on Skywarp's far from precise answers. "The connections can be too easily strained." 

"We won't," Starscream said, speaking for both of them.

"So similar to an older sparkling?" Thundercracker asked in 'cant, wanting to correlate 'too easily' to something he knew.

"Yes," the wing specialist answered the same way, then in Vosian, "Skywarp, you are to rest. You aren't confined to this room, but you are confined to the grounds. No flight, unless it is under your trinemates' power. We'll adjust your therapy as we go." 

Skywarp nodded and the medics all cleared out, giving the three Seekers some welcome space.

"That means no warping either," Thundercracker said firmly even as his hand caressed Skywarp's face. "If you need the wind, one of us will take you."

"He didn't say no warping," Skywarp grumbled, frame language withdrawn. Now that he wasn't trying to use them, the new wings were resting at a perfectly neutral, blank read, showing nothing, not even the distress they could feel clearly through his field. 

"If you warped into the sky how would you stay there?" Starscream pointed out reasonably as he sat on the other side of the berth and took Skywarp's hand in his. Skywarp sighed and pulled away, bringing both hands to his chest and curling forward. "I swear if you play us again..." Starscream warned. 

"'M not," Skywarp mumbled. 

Thundercracker sighed through his vents and nudged his mate forward so he could sit behind him, support him and let them both feel each other over as much plating as possible. "After all we've survived, I'm not losing you now."

Skywarp nodded and his field felt as listless as he looked. He laid his head back against Thundercracker's shoulder and powered his optics down. Starscream and Thundercracker exchanged a glance over their trinemate, and Starscream joined them on the berth, where they shielded Skywarp as much as they could with their frames.

* * *

Two metacycles after Skywarp's new wings had been attached and his physical therapy begun, Starscream was summoned to meet with the medics as Skywarp's Order. Thundercracker was permitted as mate and trinemate and by Starscream's request, and together, they faced the wing specialist with a grave look on his face. When he talked, he spoke directly to Starscream. Thundercracker did not enjoy not taking his place as Skywarp's true Order, but the time it would take to explain the difference between a trine and a duty trine to grounders and non-Seeker fliers was simply not worth it. 

And, more and more, he'd noticed, others were starting to react to him as a Vision, something he had not corrected. Only the ones who'd teeked him before he'd trined with Starscream knew for certain what he was, and those were few and far in between. A few more remembered him as a flock Order. Ever since trading the distinctive Air Martial insignias for the Decepticon mark, he wasn't sure all of _them_ remembered who he was, either. It was annoying that so many forgot so quickly he was an Order because he flew in a duty trine in the Vision's position, but it was easier not to cause a fuss. Rattling his wings about his type would only make folks question why Starscream flew as the trine Order, and Starscream still wasn't perfect at hiding his true nature.

He shrugged the pesky thoughts away and focused on the medic, who was explaining that Skywarp's recovery was not going as he'd hoped. 

"As far as I can tell, the problem we're facing now is an emotional one, not a physical one," he said. "Skywarp can control his wings through any range of motion we request, and when he decides to, use them to communicate." 

"So the immobility we keep seeing isn't a connection problem," Starscream surmised.

"It's an emotional connection problem," Thundercracker murmured uneasily, mostly to himself.

"Correct," the medic flicked his wings in smooth agreement to them both. "Being home with his trine and kin, those who can help him connect emotionally with his wings, will do far more good than any amount of clinical time."

"We can take him home?" Starscream asked, wings lifting eagerly. 

"In fact, I urge you to," the medic said with a smile. "The payment and release have been taken care of already, so you can take him home at your own convenience. While he is physically capable of flying without damaging anything, I still recommend that he not be in the air alone or even unsupported until he shows much more improvement. I want his wings mirroring his teek and becoming a fluid part of conversation before he is allowed into the air unsupervised." 

"We understand," Starscream said, and they canted their wings in gratitude to him as he showed them out.

::Have you helped raise younglings?:: Thundercracker commed Starscream privately as they walked to collect their trinemate.

Starscream snorted and gave him a _look_.

::Then you make _no_ choices on his fitness to do anything.:: Thundercracker said firmly, all but daring Starscream to challenge him. ::Like any youngling he's going to believe he can do things he can't.::

::Fine, whatever,:: Starscream said with a dismissive flick. ::He's _your_ handful.::

Thundercracker accepted the statement and entered Skywarp's room. "Ready to go home?" he asked in 'cant.

Skywarp stared at him for a moment, then leaped up. "Really?" he asked, with a huge grin as he bounded over to him with his wings still set in that unnerving neutral. "Yes, yes!" 

"Say it in 'cant," Starscream said, refusing to switch to Vosian. 

Skywarp groaned. " _Yes,_ " he said in 'cant. "I want to go home."

"Good, then come here and I'll fly you home," Thundercracker purred as he switched to Vosian. "It'll be good to have you where you belong."

Skywarp gratefully tucked himself into Thundercracker's arms, nuzzling. "Please please please can I warp up?"

"So long as you're holding onto me first," Thundercracker smiled, his field warm and grateful for the signs of life.

Skywarp's field beamed and he first warped over to Starscream and grabbed hold of him--getting a yelp of protest--and then took both of them up into the sky. He'd been in the sky regularly, his trinemates had made sure of that, but they hadn't let him warp there until now, and his enjoyment of being able to do that was clear. 

Thundercracker activated his thrusters and held Skywarp up. After Starscream adjusted to the sudden lack of ground beneath his pedes he swatted his Action's helm and then transformed, flying in a guard position around them as they made their way to the eyrie. Every hic brought more Seekers close, but never too close to upset the guarding Order. By the time they set down half the flight had gathered around them and the entire flock was either with them or in the eyrie preparing for the celebration for their returning member.

"It is good to have you back where you belong," Tumbler clasped Skywarp's shoulder as Thundercracker allowed his grip to loosen.

"Thanks," Skywarp trilled, and accepted the pets and nuzzles from all around. Starscream and Thundercracker stood protectively nearby, wings flared up in warning. Gradually the others started to glance at them as Skywarp's wing language stayed static, but his trinemates' calm demeanor kept them from saying anything out loud. The few who did ask mostly directed their questions to Tumbler, and did so quietly and by secured comm. He'd been informed of Skywarp's injuries and recovery speed and they trusted him to explain what was needed without jeopardizing Skywarp's medical privacy.

Finally the welcoming receded and the trine was able to pull away on their own, settling in the common area near a window. "Missed it here," Skywarp sighed contentedly.

"We missed having you here," Thundercracker hummed, snuggling close as his field finished relaxing. "I missed you."

Skywarp trilled and nuzzled their noses together, pulling his mate into a kiss. "I missed you more," he purred. 

"Primus save me," Starscream muttered, rolling his optics and leaning against the wall next to them, arms crossed over his chest. His wings stayed high and protective, shielding his trinemates as they reunited outside the sterile hospital after more than half a vorn apart. Despite his stance and tone, it felt good to shield the pair as Thundercracker began to pet Skywarp's wings.

Skywarp pulled his mate on top of him and shifted their hips together as they kissed. The hands on his wings made his field warm against Thundercracker's and his fans opened, starting to spin. His leg hooked up around Thundercracker's waist and he gave an inviting trill. With the next kiss Thundercracker's spike cover snapped open, long since ready to indulge his mate at the first opportunity.

"Missed you," Thundercracker moaned between kisses as he continued to stroke the plain black wings he was so happy to touch again.

Skywarp let him, and stroked Thundercracker's in return, but his own stayed still and didn't press into the hands like they should have been. Starscream watched quietly, and after a few kliks of his trinemates kissing and rubbing up against each other, reached out to stroke the nearest black wing. 

Skywarp reached up immediately and grabbed Starscream's hand, pulling it down and entwining their fingers together, gripping tightly as Thundercracker slid inside him. He arched and moaned, pressing into it. Starscream stroked his thumb over the back of Skywarp's hand. ::Did you see that?:: he commed Thundercracker, relatively sure that Skywarp was too lost in his pleasure to pick up on the signal.

::Yes,:: Thundercracker answered evenly despite the pleasure rolling through his field as he rocked into his mate. ::This is more than just not emotionally connected with them. He wants to reject them.::

Starscream tilted his wings in agreement before leaning in and turning Skywarp's face to take his own deep kiss. ::We'll take care of him.::

::Always.:: Thundercracker moaned, his wings quivering in a mixture of pleasure and determination. ::We _will_ have him recover.::

Starscream hummed and slipped his hand between his trinemates' frames, moving it down to Skywarp's spike cover and rubbing in circles until the plating slipped away and the spike extended into his fingers. Skywarp moaned and bucked and was completely at the mercy of his trinemates' whims until they had overloaded him again and again before all three collapsed down into a pile. 

They rearranged themselves into something comfortable, but Skywarp's wings stayed neutral, and as they finally settled, they didn't come over to cover Starscream. It was a move so abnormal that it was nearly dismissed as a hallucination, but it couldn't be ignored. Thundercracker and Starscream exchanged one more worried glance, and then slipped into recharge together.

* * *

Nearly a decaorn later with no change or improvement in Skywarp, Thundercracker and Starscream had decided to try something new. After talking with Visage they had an armful each of different colors they could use to paint Skywarp's wings, and hopefully find something he could connect with.

::I hope this works,:: Starscream commed privately, the only place he allowed himself to express just how worried he was about his Action.

::As do I. Do you remember the original design well enough to duplicate it?::

:: _Duplicate?_ :: Starscream sounded incredulous. ::Mimic, maybe. That was noble quality work, I've never even really done this before.:: He tried to remember everything Visage had told them about color mixing and which shades needed to go before which others--lighter to darker--and just hoped that having some color would help Skywarp connect with the new wings.

::Understood. We'll simply do our best and keep working on him.:: Thundercracker's wings twitched nervously. ::I can do complex designs, but I have to have the image on my HUD. Air Martials always dye each other.::

::I have a high quality file of them,:: Starscream said, and pinged it over. ::We'll just have to do our best.:: 

They landed on the roof of the converted eyrie and immediately pinged Tumbler, who had been keeping watch over Skywarp while they were both away. The Air Commander pinged back to let them know that all was well and they headed downstairs. 

Skywarp was sitting by the window in his usual spot, staring out. Instead of flicking his wings in greeting, he raised a hand towards them. 

"We got some dye," Starscream said, getting right to the point. "For your wings. So that they can look nicer than this."

Skywarp hesitated, giving Starscream an almost shocked look. "You don't like them?" 

" _I_ like them just fine," Starscream huffed. "You, however, clearly don't."

"We want _you_ to like your wings too," Thundercracker trilled as he set his burden down and cupped Skywarp's face for a kiss. "Wouldn't you like them better if they looked like _yours?_ "

Skywarp shifted marginally away. "Wouldn't be mine," he muttered.

Starscream sat down next to him. "No," he agreed, and rubbed the center joint. "But we'd paint them in memory of yours, as a way to remember your carrier."

"A gift from your trine," Thundercracker whispered the true glyph for what they were. "Because we love you."

Skywarp visibly debated back and forth with himself for a klik before he nodded and looked up at his trinemates with a smile and a hopeful lift. "Yeah, okay," he agreed, then switched to 'cant. "I think I'd like that."

"Thank you," Thundercracker purred as he responded in kind. "Now, why don't we go to the washrack and get your wings stripped down?"

Skywarp nodded and took their wrists, teleporting them several levels down and into the washracks before he stood and stretched, and his wings settled back into the most upbeat cant that his trinemates had seen in a long time. Starscream slipped an arm around his waist and kissed him deeply, the other hand going up to his wing and caressing. Skywarp pushed into it.

Thundercracker all but moaned at the sight of his mate finally responding the way he should to his wings being petted and closed in from behind. His hands went to both wings, stroking and exploring, re-learning with as much desire as he'd had the first time he'd called Skywarp Action. They quivered a bit--unsure but enjoying what he was doing--and Thundercracker traded kisses back and forth with Starscream as they carefully backed Skywarp into the washrack. 

Starscream pulled out a cloth and solvent for the polish, starting in on the work of dissolving the coating on one black wing while Thundercracker continued to stroke the other. When Starscream moved to the second wing Thundercracker used a stronger solvent for the chromates to strip the first. All the while the pair stroked and kissed, encouraging their Action to enjoy the attention. It didn't take very long at all to get him facing the wall, resting on his arms and all but melting from their efforts. 

Starscream finished stripping the polish from the second wing right as Thundercracker got the first rubbed completely down to its bare, uncolored metal. He moved to the second and Starscream slipped his items into subspace and moved in behind Skywarp, pelvis to aft, and leaned forward to kiss the back of his Action's neck. His hands never left the wings.

"You look so good like that, quivering wings and riled field," Thundercracker rumbled as he turned Skywarp's helm for a deeply heated kiss before turning the general solvent shower off. "I'm looking forward to _flying_ with you again. Showing off to everyone who my mate is."

"Uh huh." It came out as a gasp against Thundercracker's mouth as Skywarp fought for any amount of coherency through the haze that his trinemates were creating in his processors. He wasn't having much success, and it was an encouraging sight. 

Starscream kissed his way down to the center joint and x-vented against it before pressing his lips to the middle and sliding his hands down from wings to hips. Thundercracker's hands came in to replace his immediately, so that Skywarp was never without the lavishing attention. Starscream got a firm hold on him and ground forward. Both panels snapped open at the lightest tough to the edge of one and Skywarp shivered with want.

"So needy," Thundercracker purred, eager at the sight of quivering wings and pleasure-desire rolling off his mate.

"Please..." Skywarp whined. 

Starscream chuckled and slipped one of his hands around to the front of Skywarp's pelvis. The Action's spike was starting to extend and Starscream palmed the tip, rubbing it and making his needy trinemate moan. 

"Yes, Star..." Skywarp moaned, completely forgetting to use Order harmonics for his Vision.

"Beautiful," Thundercracker moaned at the pleasured fluttering of stripped wings. His own mirrored the action, encouraging and reminding that he reveled in his mate's pleasure.

Starscream stroked and Skywarp repeated the designation. Starscream's wings were high and tense, scanning for anyone that might be able to hear them. At the third moan, he gave Thundercracker a look that was half pleading, half exasperated. 

Thundercracker chuckled and stroked his finger under Skywarp's head, bringing his helm around for a searing kiss. Skywarp pressed into it, Thundercracker's hands went back to his wings, and Starscream relaxed enough to pay proper attention to his Action's spike. "Definitely missed this," he purred of Skywarp's spike.

"Missed everything," Thundercracker moaned, teeking how close his mate was to overload. "My Action, my mate."

Skywarp whined, shuddered at Starscream's next stroke and the way Thundercracker's hands moved over his wings, and then shouted his overload, the sound muffled against his mate's mouth. Starscream continued to stroke as Skywarp jerked and trembled in his grip, the crackle of his pleasure zapping to their frames until he sank forward against Thundercracker, humming with sated pleasure. Thundercracker willingly held him until he had recovered enough to retract his spike and close his interfacing covers.

"Back to the window bench," Thundercracker nuzzled his mate affectionately.

"Mmkay," Skywarp hummed before they found themselves upstairs where they'd started, cuddled by the window. 

"Lay out on your front," Starscream purred, rubbing his back. The black Seeker willingly complied, relaxed and happy to be close and touched and cared for by his trine. His contentment was something Thundercracker was shameless about reveling in, but Starscream enjoyed it just as much. It soothed things in them both that the war was straining.

Affectionate strokes mingled with mixing of dyes and the light application of shades of black, purple, gray, blue, yellow and white in an effort to make him look as much like before as they could manage. The work was slow and tricky and took up a significant portion of their active memory to keep up an image of what they'd dyed already--the colors wouldn't show until the chromate layer was applied--but Skywarp was at least content to be still for a while after his overload, which gave them plenty of time to work with. And for the first time in a long time, he was enjoying their hands on his wings. At least, he wasn't pulling away, which was an improvement.

Eventually Thundercracker looked up at Starscream. "Ready?"

::As I'll ever be,:: Starscream commed as he nodded, subspacing all the dyes. He looked over the mental image of what they'd painted, compared it with the one that Thundercracker pinged him, and pulled the chromate paint out. 

It was a dull gray in the jar, the color of paint on a deactivated frame, but as soon as it touched the living metal, it reacted to the dye and soon Skywarp's wings were brimming with color and pattern again. It wasn't perfect, but it was a fine bit of craftsmechship if Starscream said so himself.

Across from him, Thundercracker purred and his engine revved hard.

It roused Skywarp, who trilled and stretched. "Can I ... see?"

Starscream moved over him, nuzzling the back of his neck. "Been rubbing you for joors, c'mon," he purred. 

Skywarp hummed, hips lifting up in answer to his Vision.

"Want you in the middle, my Action," Thundercracker rumbled as he nudged Starscream to lay back. "Star misses your spike. I miss your valve."

"'Kay," Skywarp purred as he followed Starscream, stopping halfway to flop into Thundercracker's arms and nuzzle in for a kiss. He hummed happily as Thundercracker returned it before Starscream gave an impatient chirr. Skywarp finally broke from the kiss to look at his Vision, who was propped up on his elbows, knees up and apart, valve bared. Just the visual was enough to pop Skywarp's spike cover open and pressurize his spike, and Thundercracker's wasn't far behind.

"Fill him," Thundercracker moaned in anticipation as he reached forward to stroke Skywarp's spike teasingly. 

Skywarp crawled to Starscream and covered him, pushing easily in to the familiar, welcome warmth. Starscream trilled and pulled Skywarp in a slow, deep kiss, relaxed and content. "Really missed you," he whispered, flexing his valve.

Skywarp moaned into the kiss, and moaned even deeper as Thundercracker sank into him, covering him from wingtip to wingtip. The pulses of pleasure across the older Seeker's field into Skywarp's wings made them tremble. It wasn't an effort Thundercracker made often, and it was noted and greatly appreciated.

Starscream's hands joined Thundercracker's on the freshly painted and polished wings, trying to coax as much connection with them as possible. After so long of Skywarp wanting to reject them completely, letting them _touch_ was a welcome relief. That he was using them to display, even if it wasn't as strongly as his field, was a wonderful sign as well.

Thundercracker groaned and began to rock, then thrust, guiding the trine interface to a slow buildup. Starscream kept Skywarp focused with the kiss and they pinned him firmly between them, all of their focus on their still-hurting Action. 

"S-Star," Skywarp gasped, gripping his Vision hard enough to dent, his hips jerking between his trinemates. "T-T-TC--" And then he seized and shouted, helm tossing back and optics white-bright and unseeing in his frame-shaking, awareness-stealing bliss. His trinemates moaned and shuddered, struggling to time their overloads to the end of Skywarp's to draw his out even further.

"Frag me," Starscream groaned when they all collapsed after several long, shuddering kliks. Skywarp's face was pressed against his neck, Starscream's thighs had hiked up around his waist and were still clenching tight. Skywarp panted against him, one shaking hand reaching back for Thundercracker who was embracing and shielding them both. 

"Wanna see," the Action said.

"Untangle first," Thundercracker groaned, reluctant to pull out and away from the warmth and hid trinemate's fields. It took him a klik, but he was on his aft and leaning back against his hands. "You two do make a lovely sight."

Starscream smirked lazily and drew Skywarp into a slow kiss. "Love it when I'm surrounding you," he purred to his Action, who trilled and rocked a little before the promise of getting to see the new dye pulled him away. 

"Here," Starscream said, passing Skywarp a hardline so he could see what he looked like from Starscream's point-of-view as he leaned back against Thundercracker.

"It's lovely," Thundercracker trilled, proud of their efforts. He stroked along the wing edges and palmed the flats as Skywarp looked at himself from Starscream's prospective.

"...Yeah," Skywarp said reluctantly. The patterns weren't as complex or detailed, and they lacked the same flawless blending, but they were ... nice. 

Nice, but not right. 

Skywarp struggled to hold his field steady and forced a bright smile. "Yeah they're great." 

Starscream frowned. "If you don't like something, we can change it." 

"No, no there's nothing wrong with them," Skywarp said quickly, and with complete honesty. There wasn't. "They're nice. Thank you." But his wings were going flat again.

"They aren't perfect," Thundercracker knew it. He kissed Skywarp's neck softly and continued to stroke his wings. "We tried. Your creator was an _artist_. Far beyond us. We're only your trine."

"Come here," Starscream sighed. His voice echoed of annoyance, but the hardline and his field were all of worry and a kind of anger-apology that was all Starscream. Soon Skywarp was snuggled between them, his wings being petted, but it wasn't long before he twitched, and his field filled with tension.

"Stop," he said, half mumbled, as he clenched his fists.

"Skywarp...." Thundercracker stilled.

"Just ... don't want you to touch them," Skywarp said, and tried to pull away from them. They let go, allowing it, and he curled up on his side, back to them.

"What can we do?" Starscream asked, and reached out to tentatively hold Skywarp's shoulder. "Tell us how to fix it."

Skywarp's fists clenched, and then he shook the hand off as he bolted upright, snarling at them. "You can't fix it, okay?" he shouted, and got up onto his pedes. "They're not right, they'll never be right!"

"That is not an option," Thundercracker went grimily determined. "Seekers _must_ fly."

"Maybe you think so but I can do other things and I don't need to fly," Skywarp snapped. "I don't care what you think but they're not mine and I hate them!" 

"No one said you have to fly right now," Starscream said, sitting up and holding his arms out. "Lay back down with us." 

"You won't touch them," Skywarp said, a warning in his voice. 

"We won't touch them," Starscream promised.

"We won't touch them, just you," Thundercracker agreed. He was unhappy but willing to honor his Action's needs. Together, they coaxed their reluctant Action back into the safety of their trine, and rubbed his plating until he was in recharge. 

"Well that sucked slag," Starscream muttered.

"Yes, but he showed really improvement there for a while," Thundercracker continued to stroke the helm in his lap as he relaxed against the wall. "He's having moments of connection when he forgets to hate them."

Starscream nodded, absently running his fingers up and down Skywarp's arm. "Think we made it worse?"

"No. Trauma, bad trauma, often moves back as well as forward. He made good progress, and he backed off." Thundercracker drew in a deep vent. "We keep working. Respect it when he tells us to back off. Touch and dote on his wings whenever he'll let us. You saw how much he spoke with them when we began." He looked down at the emotionally exhausted Seeker. "We'll ask him when he wakes if he wants them black again."

Starscream nodded again, looked sadly at his trinemate's resting form, and tucked himself against him. "Never thought I'd say this," he said, low enough to not be overheard, "But I miss him being an overprotective little slag."

Thundercracker couldn't help the smile at feeling his trine be a real trine for a time. "I miss him too."

* * *

They painted Skywarp's wings black again--they had to, their Action couldn't even look at reflections of himself without distress--and found themselves back in the unwanted routine of avoiding touching them whenever possible. 

Yet even with all the setbacks, they'd seen progress. Skywarp's wings showed faint echoes of his emotions now, and when they interfaced, he didn't push their hands away. At least, not every time. 

But Starscream still had a bad feeling when he came online in the middle of the night and looked around and saw only Thundercracker. He immediately shook his Order. "Hey!" he hissed.

Thundercracker booted rapidly, his emergency response protocols having never shut down after he surrendered his Air Martial status. "Skywarp?" he mumbled as it registered their Action was missing.

Starscream tried pinging him and got nothing but confirmation that he was online somewhere. "Not answering," he muttered, getting up. "Slag." The rest of the flock was in recharge, the population of the room no different than when they'd laid down, save for Skywarp. If any of them had seen him wandering away, they'd have woken Starscream and Thundercracker. "Where would he go?"

"The roof," Thundercracker pushed himself up and offered Starscream a hand. His wings were high and stressed, nearly vibrating with distress that their Action would have snuck off. "He likes looking at the stars when he's upset."

Starscream followed and they quickly made their way up. Their first scan as they stepped out onto the roof revealed nothing, but there was noise--sobbing--coming from behind the central ventilation exhaust. 

"Skywarp?" Thundercracker's voice pitched up with his anxiety as he ran to it. Starscream was right on his heels, and nearly slammed into him when he halted as he rounded the structure. 

"What--" And then Starscream saw what Thundercracker had, and choked. 

Skywarp was there, his wings shining with energon, and he was twisted around, clawing at one. The tips were mangled and bent, every span was covered in scratches, the polish looking like it had been sanded off. Skywarp was choking back his cries as he pulled his claws through the sensor layers. His hands and arms were covered with his own processed energon.

In the time it took Starscream to process the sight, Thundercracker had lunged forward, his thrusters firing to give him a bit more power to bowl their Action over and pin him, chest down, purple wrists under blue knees. 

"Guard!" Thundercracker snarled at the Vision, treating him as the Order he was in public. At the same moment he opened a comm to emergency dispatch and demanded a winged medic to the tower.

Before he even got a reply, Skywarp had started struggling and bucking beneath him. "No, get off!" the Action sobbed, his distress rolling out in thick waves. He got one hand free and went desperately for his wing again, sinking his claws in and hooking them before Starscream could lunge forward and stop him. 

"Skywarp, let go," Starscream pleaded, holding his wrist, preventing him from tearing through his own wing. His own wings were high and alert, monitoring the roof and sky behind them, optics trained up and forward as he tried to both guard and help at the same time. " _Please_ let go!" 

" _No!_ " Skywarp screamed, thrashing as he tried to dislodge Thundercracker, and the anguish was shifting to fury at his trinemates. Thundercracker got a hold of the hand and pinned it down again. This time he shifted further forward so Skywarp's arms were completely pinned by his legs and hands.

The commotion and comm for help was bringing their flock and a few others from further out. More hands were there to help control the frantic Action but most stood or flew watch, looking or scanning outwards to protect the injured and his helpers. By the time the medic landed Tumbler, Fyat, Mocca and their trines had arrived, along with every medically trained Seeker in the city, no matter how limited their skills. Everyone knew that Laserbeak and Buzzsaw were among the wings around the tower, but no one chased them off. The pair were long since acknowledged as an acceptable presence.

A syringe was finally brought forward and slipped into a line in Skywarp's neck, dropping the traumatized, panicky Action into merciful stasis. Starscream and Thundercracker slumped, tension draining from their frames as the medics came forward and started cauterizing the worst of the bleeding.

"Starscream, Thundercracker, fly with me," Tumbler's wings were aggressive, an open display of his anger.

"Yes, Sir," Thundercracker's wings dropped instantly, a reflexive reaction to a superior's anger more than anything thought-based.

"But..." Starscream looked back to Skywarp, but the Air Commander's angry growl made him wince and nod, following him into the air. All three transformed and Tumbler led them high above the city, flying in silence until he leveled out. 

"You are going to explain to me how you let him come to such a state," Tumbler finally snarled.

"He was doing better, little by little, Sir. Starting to use his wings, beginning to display what he teeked, sometimes allowing us to touch normally," Thundercracker began, his tone one of giving a formal report. "He'd never been aggressive towards them like this before. The worst he displayed was not allowing us to touch them. We were in recharge when he left. Starscream roused and noted his absence, then woke me. We found him three kliks later in the state you saw."

Tumbler didn't say anything for almost a hic, letting Starscream and Thundercracker squirm as they flew behind him. Finally, his field focused directly on Starscream. "And what steps have you taken so far?" he barked. 

"We tried repainting his wings," Starscream said. "We mimicked his original set as closely as we could, but they were dyed by an expert. Skywarp reacted badly, so we went black again. We've been touching whenever he'll let us, especially during interface, and backing off when he tells us to. Thundercracker is right, he never showed signs like this."

"Well you obviously missed something," the Air Commander growled, and his field was a tight, steady fury broken only by uneven waves of sickened horror over what he'd seen. " _No one_ should have to come to that point. I'm going to order euthanasia."

"No!" Thundercracker's keen shattered any hint of decorum and professionalism he was holding onto but his flight remained steady. "No, please, he's my _mate_. I'll find out what happened. It won't happen again. He was so close to flying."

"Not from what I saw. The two of you failed him as both fliers and trinemates," Tumbler rumbled over any further protest. "You failed to ensure his ability to live with _decency_ and _pride._ What happened to him is _shameful_ , that it was witnessed is worse. Forcing him to live at this point would be a humiliation." 

"But he won't care about that," Starscream cut in quickly. "He wasn't socialized properly when he was young. _Please_ , we can fix this." 

Tumbler didn't answer for a long time. He banked and started to head back towards their eyrie. "Fine," he finally said. "But you two will monitor every action, every _moment,_ until I am convinced that he is mentally stable."

"Yes, Sir," Thundercracker accepted the reprimand, some of the harshest things one could say to a Seeker or about one, and only felt grateful that he'd have another chance to socialize his mate. "We won't fail him again."

"If it happens again, I will take the matter before the Trine Elect, and seriously consider bringing the both of you up on charges of neglect," Tumbler warned them. "I have half a mind to forbid you to see him at all but I know that would only hurt him further. I won't punish him for your failure."

Thundercracker wavered slightly, all too aware that there was little chance the Trine Elect would suffer a Seeker to exist without his wings, not even in these desperate times. He didn't even register the threat to himself. He wouldn't have cared about it even if he had. He didn't have the will at the moment to outlive his mate for long.

"Where did they take him?" Starscream asked, as anxious as either of them had ever seen him.

"Back to the hospital where they fixed his wings the first time," Tumbler growled in his frustration even as he was relieved that they took the threat seriously. "Go."

Thundercracker and Starscream took the direction as an order and immediately peeled away from the Air Commander, flying as fast as they could to their trinemate. No one stopped them once they were inside, and they found Skywarp within kliks, still sedated as his wings were worked on. 

The medics glanced at them but didn't turn them out. The grounder medics looked at them with pity, and the fliers with a mix of that, and disappointment. 

"How bad?" Starscream blurted.

One of the medics glanced up. "He should recover. _If_ he wants to. No amount of technical perfection can make a mecha want to continue."

Thundercracker shuddered in understanding. It was a truth every Seeker still in existence understood intimately.

"What happened?" someone else asked.

"We don't know," Starscream admitted, cringing. "There wasn't any warning." 

The winged frames canted in unanimous disapproval, but the first grounder who'd spoken nodded in understanding. "Sometimes there isn't any," he said. "Pain like this, it can hide until it's too late. It's no one's fault."

"You should wait outside," one of the fliers said coldly. 

The grounder gave them a warm smile as they left to find somewhere to wait. 

It felt like forever, but was really barely two joors before the wing specialist they'd met the first time here came to find them and led them to the room Skywarp was resting in. He opened the door silently, and left without a word as they stepped in. 

Skywarp was prone on the single berth, one window to his left and another one directly above. He was still offline, but his wrists had been bound to the berth. The medics had cleaned and repaired his wings, but there was still energon staining his fingers. 

Thundercracker pulled a cloth from his subspace and began to clean them, wanting the evidence removed before his mate woke. ::We're going to have to hardline and merge _regularly_ now,:: Thundercracker commed Starscream.

Starscream nodded as he began helping Thundercracker with the task. ::What did we miss...?:: he ventured, now that they were alone.

::I don't know. He's not the first I've helped recover from wing replacement. I've never had anyone go from no self-violence to _this_. I don't know what we missed. I'm going to find out and _fix_ it though,:: Thundercracker said with grim determination. He wasn't above doing programming and memory edits if he had to to save his mate.

Starscream echoed the determination with his field and they worked in silence until every part of Skywarp's frame had been wiped down and polished. Then they came to rest on either side of him so that when he came online, he wouldn't have to feel alone for even a single moment. 

When he finally did come online, his field flickered weakly, and then as he booted fully and saw his trinemates looking at him, he moaned, and tried to hide his face against the berth. 

_Shame_

"Shu," Thundercracker crooned softly, his field wrapping his mate in his love and dedication. "What happened, my Action, my mate?"

"I'm all broken," Skywarp choked, shaking his head. "Shouldn't want me. Not a good Action." 

Starscream frowned and slipped his fingers around Skywarp's, and just held on tighter when the Action started and tried to yank away. "You've never had an Action, so you don't get to decide what makes a good one," he said matter-of-factly. " _I_ like you as an Action."

"I chose you three times, twice knowing _everything_ ," Thundercracker said grimly. "I am your Order, and I am your mate. Do you trust me?"

Skywarp nodded, silently focusing on him. Even Starscream seemed taken with the tone, and watched their Order closely.

"Then trust me when I tell you that you are not broken. Trust me when I say you are a good Action. Trust me when I say I love you and never want to lose you."

Skywarp whined in protest. 

_Shame_

Shame that he couldn't fly and make his Order proud, shame that he couldn't be a worthy sire for his Vision, shame that sometimes he couldn't even let his trine touch him and shame that he was pushing his mate away. 

But Thundercracker had never lied to him on purpose, not once ever, and in his voice was all the strength, power, conviction, and desire of his Order. 

Skywarp nodded. He tried to lift his arm to reach out for him, but the cuffs locking his wrists down only let him move enough to brush Thundercracker's armor. Both his trinemates responded by gripping one hand and stroking with their free one.

"I need to know what happened tonight." Thundercracker's voice was soft but determined. "I need to understand why you damaged yourself."

Skywarp tugged listlessly, field pulling in. He glanced at Starscream, then back at Thundercracker. "Hardline?" he asked quietly, carefully indicating that he wanted it only with Thundercracker.

The line was quickly hooked in both ways and the long-familiar exchange allowed the mates to relax into each other's processors.

~Show me, love.~ Thundercracker asked. ~Trust me to help you through this.~

Skywarp nodded and took a moment to press his field out to Starscream, who was looking a little miffed, before focusing in fully to Thundercracker. ~Had a nightmare,~ he muttered, and showed Thundercracker the strange files, being in the dark completely alone but Fender was always there. ~Woke up. Saw all the other trines and I...~ He shuddered, and shoved the memory forward wordlessly.

~I see,~ Thundercracker said gently, wrapping Skywarp's processors in comfort as best he could. ~That's not the cause though. Why reject your new wings?~

~They feel wrong,~ Skywarp said, trying to explain. ~They're making me not be a good Action.~ He pushed the memory again, showed the recharging flock, grouped into trines and duty trines, the Actions covering their Visions.

~It's not the wings. They're part of your frame,~ Thundercracker said gently, his spark aching for his mate. ~Something is making you reject them. We need to find out what. Why aren't they good enough?~

Skywarp tugged at the arm restraints, field flat and despondent. ~Not mine,~ he said, almost helplessly, like even _he_ didn't really know. ~They're no good.~

Thundercracker sighed, his wings dipping sadly. ~Skywarp, they'll euthanize you if you can't accept these new wings as yours. I can't let hat happen. I need you.~

Skywarp's optics spiraled open in shock and his field blanched with horror, enough to alarm Starscream, who glared at Thundercracker over the berth. ~W-what? _Why?_ ~

~Because they are Seeker and believe that you are. No Seeker will be suffered to live without their wings and flight,~ he attempted to explain something that simply _was_. ~If you cannot fly, they can not conceive that you are not suffering more terribly than anyone should.~

~That isn't true! That isn't fair!~ Skywarp protested, and then the cascading shame swept back over him. He'd _tried_ to like these wings, he really had, but he wasn't good enough so they would take him away and it would kill Thundercracker and expose Starscream and he was an awful, worthless Action who couldn't even do one little thing to protect his trine and he'd let _grounders_ touch him and he hadn't fought hard enough and he was no good--

"What did you say to him?" Starscream demanded as Skywarp's optics blacked out and he shrank into the berth. He pressed a hand to Skywarp's face, trying to get some kind of response.

Thundercracker was oblivious to the question, to the universe outside Skywarp's processors as he grabbed the self-hating thought-stream he recognized as a likely core cause and yanked it fully into the open where he could follow every linked thread and began a simple but psychologically messy process of severing that concept from Skywarp's awareness. Done fully in view of the mech there was no hiding what he was doing, so he simply left notes saying that the thought existed and it was wrong.

It made Skywarp freeze and stare at him, complex processors chasing Thundercracker around in an attempt to figure out what he was doing, recording every movement but doing nothing to hinder what had long ago been deemed as Trusted. 

When Thundercracker finally stopped, Skywarp looked at him with a confused frown. Starscream's wings were hiked up with worry and stress, but Action and Order were completely focused on each other. 

~What happened?~ Skywarp asked.

~You had a faulty logic loop you were stuck with. I did my best to remove it,~ Thundercracker explained, hoping that was good enough. ~You should be able to process more clearly now.~

~Okay,~ Skywarp said, sounding dazed. He tugged at the cuffs, then looked at Starscream and focused in on his Vision with alarm. "Are you okay? What's wrong?" 

Starscream stared at him, then turned a decidedly murderous glare on Thundercracker. "What did you do?" he hissed.

"I edited the faulty logic loop he was getting stuck in," Thundercracker gave a slight shrug. "He shouldn't hate himself over what happened now."

The glare didn't let up until Starscream looked back to his Action. "Skywarp," he said, and gripped Skywarp's arm, his other hand going up to press to his face. "Are you okay?" 

Skywarp nodded, leaning into the touch. "Wanna go home," he whispered. 

"We can do that," Starscream said. "We'll get you out of here, okay?" 

Skywarp just nodded again.

* * *

With Megatron's insistence that Starscream and Thundercracker be allowed to take whatever action they felt was best for their trinemate, getting Skywarp released was only a matter of signatures. Aside from the discharge forms, they had to sign off on an extensive list of post-surgical care, most of which they would only need to know in emergencies, but the medics made sure they understood every step of the rehab care, including the bi-ornly application of a nutrient-rich salve right onto Skywarp's wings to help fully integrate the repairs. 

They got him home and settled in, trying to ignore the looks they were getting from the rest of the flock. Tumbler had no doubt talked to them, but it didn't make the greeting any less uncomfortable. As soon as Skywarp was in recharge, Starscream rounded on Thundercracker, wrist held out with a hardline. It was accepted and the hookup exchange went smoothly.

As soon as everything was finalized, Starscream's wings lifted in an obvious indication of his bad temper, but their conversation would, at least, stay private. ~Since when do you have any kind of expertise in editing, or did you just look around and hack things up!~ he yelled. ~And for that matter what the frag did you say to put him in a faulty loop anyway!~

~I did what had to be done. You _know_ we can't allow a real processor medic inside his code or what he really is will be discovered,~ Thundercracker snapped back. ~That loop's been in him since he was rescued. What triggered it to run this time was when I told him that he has to accept his new wings or the Trine Elect will order him euthanized. A fact a removed from his awareness later. I believe it created the initial episode as well, after he saw other Actions covering their Visions and was too ashamed at his own inability.~

Their wings definitely now had the attention of the entire flock, but no one did anything more than look. Starscream looked like he wanted to punch Thundercracker, or at least shove him, but the hardline prevented both. ~Oh well that was brilliant, scare him half to death and hope it makes him fly,~ he sneered instead.

The deep rumble of Thundercracker's engines made Skywarp twitch, which was the only thing that throttled them back. ~I wasn't trying to scare him,~ he shot back over the hardline, his fist closing as he debated punching his Vision and ranking officer.

~Coulda fooled me,~ Starscream snapped. ~Though I know I personally _love_ getting death sentences so I don't know why it should have upset him!~

Starscream felt the snap in Thundercracker's processors before the blow hit, but not fast enough to do anything more than realize he was about to be slugged in the face.

He squawked and threw his arm up but it wasn't quite fast enough and the fist to his face sent him straight down to the floor. The hardline between their wrists was snapped out as he fell and he landed hard on his aft, getting his elbow down and back before it could be on his wings. "You slagging glitch!" he started to shout at his Order, only to have the volume of his voice drop significantly when Skywarp stirred.

"Don't you _dare_ challenge me over my own mate," Thundercracker snarled and lunged forward, claws out and wings wide with aggression that Starscream had never seen in him before.

Starscream cringed and threw his arms up over his face, wings dropping in surrender and a clear _don't-hit-me!_ "Fine, fine! Get off!"

Despite the desire to continue that Thundercracker was radiating, he was far too well socialized not to accept the surrender and back off. His wings still trembling, he stepped back and glared at Starscream. "Primus only knows why he likes you so much."

"Because I'm charming," Starscream muttered, visibly sulking from the unexpected hit. He stood up with a clear attempt at dignity, making a show out of brushing himself off and trying to shake the embarrassment out of his wings. He sniffed, lifted his chin up, and walked past the murderous looking Thundercracker to kneel down near Skywarp. Thundercracker took a few long moments to bleed the anger out of his field before he joined them and snuggled close to his damaged mate to cover him for the night. Never again would Skywarp recharge without at least one of them close enough to be roused if he moved.

* * *

Starscream and Thundercracker tried to do most of Skywarp's wing maintenance while he was in recharge, timing it so that he could come online after the uncomfortable parts were over, with only the salve and massage left. They were doing everything in their power to associate only positive experiences with these wings, even more so now that he had slipped back into an almost complete refusal to emote with them. He spoke in 'cant when prompted, but only then. 

They were about halfway done with working the salve in--each of them on their own wing, they spent most of their time not talking to each other about anything other than watching over Skywarp--when their Action began to rouse. His wings shifted, and lifted up into their hands. He sighed softly, fingers kneading into the cushion he was laying on, chest-down.

The pair working glanced at each other and struggled not to become too excited at the prospect of the response. It did encourage them both to become just a touch more sensual in their efforts as they stroked and rubbed the salve into almost-healed wings.

It definitely got a response, as Skywarp's field flushed with warmth and pressed out. "'S't tim'a go?" he mumbled drowsily. 

"No," Starscream said, voice as smooth as he could make it. "Don't have to go anywhere right now." 

"Oh good," Skywarp sighed, and he didn't sound fully online yet. He hummed a little, stretching out and enjoying their hands. "Feels good."

"Good," Thundercracker trilled with a deep rumble of pleasure at giving his mate pleasure. "You look good like this, laid out, relaxed and warm."

"Yeah," Skywarp sighed, and then moaned a little. His field finally came to teek of being fully online and there was a brief flicker of tension before the next downward stroke of their hands chased it away completely. " _Really_ yeah. Don't stop." 

"We won't," Starscream murmured, and slipped his hand carefully around the wingtip and lowered his helm down, bringing it into his mouth. Skywarp shuddered at the sensation and moaned softly when Thundercracker's fingers began to stroke and manipulate his ailerons. Starscream's glossa swirled around, and three fields meshed hotly. Skywarp panted a little, hips lifting up, and he whined when neither trinemate seemed to even notice. 

"Mm-mm," Starscream hummed a negative, carefully tracing over the seams around the upper flaps, and then slipping his fingers beneath them and stroking the sensory wires beneath. His other hand continued to work in the remaining salve over the fresh welding, pressing gently.

"Relax and enjoy," Thundercracker insisted as he continued the gentle, stimulating touches. "Trust us."

Another pleasured sigh escaped Skywarp as he relaxed back down. "Mmkay," he murmured, optics flickering dreamily as he enjoyed his trinemates' hands on the wings. They pulsed lazily up and down, moving with the rhythm of their synchronized strokes, each of them dedicating one hand to rubbing in broad circles while the other attended to seams and detail work. 

Small, soft noises began to escape his vocalizer as time went on, and Thundercracker and Starscream were doing what they could to draw the experience out. Brief tremors were starting to move through his field and over his wings, pleasure and charge hovering just between enjoyment and real arousal. Thundercracker's field pulsed in reply, encouraging the arousal along with his hands and soon his lips and glossa.

Skywarp's field pressed back against both of them. He trilled a little, and then more when Thundercracker's mouth came up against the wingtip. His wing lifted up, pressed, quivering. 

Starscream purred deeply and put just a little more pressure into the slow circles, exploring every seam and panel. The metal was warm beneath their fingers, with clear charge starting to build. This was far more than they'd ever managed and it was a thrill he wasn't expecting to feel from such a simple act. He wanted to damn his coding for making this random, annoying, _stupid_ , _gifted_ , _infuriating_ mecha so important to him and couldn't find it in himself to object to it. Skywarp was _Trine._ And Starscream didn't think he would ever want it any other way. Whether on purpose or not, he'd found his Action. 

An Action who was gasping on the edge of overload, Starscream realized as Skywarp arched and whined. His field felt like liquid silver against theirs, shimmering and burning, and then all it took was Thundercracker pressing a kiss to the center joint to topple him over the edge. 

In the midst of the full-frame overload that cascaded visibly out from his wings, Skywarp flickered rapidly in and out of visibility, the teleports so fast that they created a strange transparent effect. It was enchanting, and Starscream felt a building need to be watching those processors as it happened. Not today, but soon. Maybe while Thundercracker spiked him. That seemed to get Skywarp off hard and reliably.

Next to his plotting trinemate Thundercracker was humming with pleasure and snuggling against his mate, content to be close to that sated field despite his own arousal.

Skywarp's wings finally relaxed and he sagged, pressing back as his systems slowed back down, reset and stabilized. He curled against Thundercracker, holding onto him tightly as he slipped back into recharge. 

"Good sign," Starscream hummed, stroking Skywarp's helm and trying to ignore the itching arousal moving through his frame.

"A very good sign," Thundercracker murmured, his pleasure warm and defused though his field. "Go pounce on somebody, if you want."

Starscream's engines rumbled with displeasure that he couldn't quite place but he did look up to meet the optics of the nearest watching Vision and disentangled himself from his trine. The few members of their flock that were gathered--most had been sent out for the last decaorn--trilled their cheer at Skywarp's sign of recovery.

* * *

Three metacycles dragged into four, but Thundercracker was in a better mood than usual. Steady, orn by orn improvements in Skywarp's mental state kept him from thinking about the war, the loss of Vos, the growing importance of Helix and his own dysfunctional trine's Vision too much. Left alone the blue Seeker would brood darkly enough to bring down the entire flock's moral. Regularly spark merging with his mate did wonders for him, and seemed to do wonders for Skywarp.

Even Tumbler noticed enough improvement to comment on it.

For the first time in over a vorn, Thundercracker was walking backwards to the edge of the eyrie roof with the intent of leading Skywarp off it in a maiden flight for his new wings.

That Skywarp's wings were flicking nervously was still easily more of a good sign than a bad. 

"But what if they don't work?" Skywarp asked. 

"Then you teleport to the ground," Starscream said from where he was lounging on the edge, watching them.

"Or back here. Or you allow me to catch you," Thundercracker added as his thrusters powered up and he took a step off the edge. "There's nothing to be afraid of."

Skywarp nodded, holding tight to Thundercracker's hands as his mate hovered in front of him, then screwed up his courage, kicked his thrusters on, and stepped off. "'Kay," he said, and let go, both of them flying straight up and apart far enough to transform, and Skywarp immediately banked into a tight loop that brought him right up next to Thundercracker.

A shiver of wings and spark-joy later, he settled into the Action's position to his Order and began to follow the easy loops and altitude changes Thundercracker lead him on. Skywarp followed effortlessly, the air over his wings making his spark soar in his chest as he remembered what _flying_ felt like and realized that he wasn't going to fall. It would be okay. The turns became tighter, the speed increased. It was exhilarating to fly with his Order and have it feel so perfect. They were in synch. They were _trine_. He felt a little bad for all he'd put them through in the past vorn, but it was close over and getting better.

He was enjoying simply flying so much it took him entirely took long to realize that Thundercracker was burning hot and the circles he was making were an invitation to mate. He moaned quietly and flared his field out in a hot, bright _yes!_ They hadn't done that in so long, and he leveled out, inviting Thundercracker to come beneath him. He was trusting the older, better flier to line them up and keep them level.

Thundercracker's field flared in joyful relief and he paused to make sure Starscream had joined them in the air to guard. The white and red Seeker wasn't alone either. Several flock members had noticed and joined in the joyful event.

With a shudder of anticipation Thundercracker flipped upside down and slid in under his mate. Skywarp squirmed with nervous excitement that forced Thundercracker to pause and back off until his anxious mate had steadied again, and then carefully brought their bellies flush together. Magnet systems engaged on both frames, snapping their plating tight, and Skywarp's valve was already bared to him.

The intense pleasure of simply extending his spike into his mate in alt mode left Thundercracker shaking and at the very edge of his ability to control himself. It was only the quality of his automatic flight systems, created by experience, that kept him steady. Locking ridges snapped up, tying them together for the flight. If one of them broke away now, the pain and damage would be intense for both. Skywarp shuddered and leaned heavily on his mate's expertise to guide them through the air.

The first pulse of energy along his spike and the corresponding squeeze of Skywarp's valve dragged a scream of bliss from them both. It was the last truly conscious thought either had before Thundercracker's systems demanded he disengage. As he spike unlocked and retracted, he placed them as not far from their eyrie and reached out with his field to determine if Skywarp was even aware enough to realize they needed to land.

His mate was hazy, blissful, not quite in tune with his surroundings but he was completely aware of what Thundercracker wanted. He transformed suddenly, grabbed the blue Seeker, and the next thing Thundercracker knew, they were on the roof, and he was scrambling to disengage the flight systems and transform in time to catch Skywarp in his arms.

"Berth," Thundercracker managed as he got his pedes on the ground. "Starscream."

Skywarp looked at him blearily--wings shaking from exhaustion, legs trembling, valve throbbing and raw--and then managed to comprehend his Vision's designation and teleported up into the air to catch him and bring him back to the roof. Starscream transformed with a startled yelp at suddenly being so close to a building before Skywarp looked at Thundercracker again. 

"Berth," he repeated, the only glyph he could think of. 

Skywarp nodded and then they were all three down in their eyrie in their preferred berth. With that the mated pair all but collapsed onto the soft cushions, dragging their Vision down with them to snuggle into a warm pile that the lovers needed badly. Starscream moved to cover them, a position he had grown accustomed to over the last metacycles, but Skywarp grabbed his shoulder vent and growled in warning before shoving him off. And then the completely spent Action climbed over, tucking Starscream under his wing, wrapping one arm tightly around him so he couldn't escape. 

Starscream's optics widened and it took a huge amount of effort not to trill with joy and alert anyone to just _how_ important this moment was. It needed to look like an Action covering his duty trine's Order. 

But Skywarp was covering his Vision, protecting him with his wings.


	12. Breaking Down Code

Skywarp sank to the ground among the other survivors in the Seeker's quarter of the gathering ground outside Tyger Pax. The industrial capitol of Cybertron had been decimated though not completely razed. It was too big and too heavily industrial in construction to be worth the effort to completely dig out. All that mattered was that it wouldn't be supporting the Autobots anymore.

His wings were scorched here and there, but it was nothing more than cosmetic and a bit of aching. Nothing worth seeing a medic for so long as his trine didn't disagree. Right now he was sure they didn't object to his assessment. The pair was far too focused on posturing and shouting at each other. Again.

It had been happening since... Well, since they'd met, Skywarp decided as he watched. Order and Vision certainly did not agree on how the world should work, and spats weren't uncommon. But they _had_ been getting worse, and more frequent over the last vorns. Thundercracker thought Starscream was too reckless, Starscream thought Thundercracker was too overbearing... 

It went on and on. And now it was leaking into when they were alone as a trine, and Skywarp _hated_ that. Starscream wouldn't let Thundercracker cover him anymore, and so the tensions never got a chance to ease. As much as Skywarp loved his Vision, he knew full well that Starscream wasn't a proper Vision and Thundercracker honestly couldn't handle that in the long run. His mate was traditional on a level that even Skywarp felt occasionally hemmed in by. Their non-traditional as existed Vision was more than Thundercracker could take.

Thus the ever-more aggressive fighting in public that Skywarp knew would only continue to escalate until Starscream no longer claimed to be an Order. With Fyat's destruction a few joors ago it was going to get much worse before it got better.

Something would have to be done, to help both of them. Skywarp knew Thundercracker regretted ever having started the charade in the first place, but it was too late now to change anything or even come clean. All three of them would be shunned for the deception, and Thundercracker the most. His mate felt trapped by his own trine, betrayed by his own Vision, crushed by the ordeal of taking _orders_ from the ever-more-aggressive Starscream, and Skywarp knew a breaking point would come. 

When Thundercracker spat out the challenge for Starscream's command, Skywarp realized it already had. 

"I accept," Starscream hissed, and then launched into the air. Thundercracker was right behind him, weapons hot and thrusters white.

Skywarp stayed on the ground, watching sadly. He briefly considered warping into the air to separate them as far as he could, but he knew it would just start again if he did, so he drew his knees up to his chest and wrapped his arms around them and hoped that they didn't kill each other. He was pretty sure they wouldn't be able to, but then, with as mean as Starscream had become towards their Order recently, he couldn't be all that sure. 

Everyone was watching the opening loops of the fight now, one that promised to be a particular flavor of vicious. The in-fighting in their so-called duty trine hadn't gone unnoticed. Tumbler had even offered to break them apart. 

It looked like they might just do that on their own, though, with the way they were shooting at each other. Thundercracker wasn't being shy about his thunder either, and even at a distance he could see the way it made Starscream's wings shiver. Unlike the first time though, this time Starscream stayed in the air and stayed in the fight. He was shaken but not driven down.

A missile exploded against the top of Thundercracker's nosecone and he dropped, his sensors and most flight systems briefly knocked out. Yet he righted himself and shot up, back in the fight. They chased each other through the sky, twisting and looping and diving in motions that almost could have been mistaken for a dance, if it weren't for the firefight. 

The flight suddenly turned sharply downward and the drove each other to the ground, slamming into it so hard that the impact could be felt by the gathered observers. It still didn't stop the two as they transformed into root mode and kept going at each other. Skywarp cringed as claws came out. 

And then there was sudden stillness, with Thundercracker pinned on his back and a null ray at his neck. Furious thunder rumbled from him, his surviving optic bright with rage, but he tipped his helm back and flattened his battered wings in surrender. Half a klik later and with a demanding growl from Starscream the subsonic rumbling quieted too.

There was a long, tense klik of perfect stillness, from the Seekers watching and the two fighters, and for a terrible, awful moment Skywarp thought he was about to watch his Vision kill his mate, and then Starscream lowered the null ray and stood up.

Thundercracker stayed where he was, still and surrendered, until Starscream stalked away. Only then did the Order struggle to his pedes and pinged for where the medic was before walking painfully in that direction.

Skywarp immediately warped to him, took a careful hold of his arm, and then warped him the rest of the way while trilling in concern and looking over the damage. His mate teeked far from settled. The medic wasn't very happy either, grumbling about what in Primus' designation Thundercracker thought he was doing and why in the _Pit_ he was still in a duty trine he couldn't stand.

He got nothing but sullen silence from his patient and Skywarp was too busy worrying to contribute. Beyond them, Starscream watched with a strange look on his face and an uneasy cant, until Skywarp looked at him, and then he scowled and looked away as his own damage was tended to by another medic.

* * *

Skywarp was shameless with warping his mate into a private room in their eyrie as soon as it was in range. Starscream was already being delayed by Tumbler over the fight with Thundercracker and the loss of their TIC. He'd be busy for a while. Which mean that he had time to soothe Thundercracker and try to find a way for them to work this out with their Vision. As things stood, even Skywarp recognized that his trinemates would deactivate each other eventually if something didn't change, and it needed to happen soon.

"Why challenge him?" he asked, chittering with disapproval as he made another sweep over the fresh repairs on Thundercracker's wings.

"I was too frustrated," Thundercracker muttered, his field warming at the care his Action was giving. "I am too frustrated with him. He won't even hold to our agreement anymore any I can't take it."

"Why?" Skywarp asked, biting back his own heavy dose of frustration with _both_ of his trinemates.

Thundercracker let out a sign. "I'm still coded an Air Martial. I can handle a duty trine. As sick as it makes me, I can take orders from him out there," he waved in the general direction of outside. "But he's still my Vision in private. He's broken our agreement, refuses my authority when we're trine." His wings shuddered and fists clenched. " _He broke our agreement._ "

"'Cause he won't let you groom him and stuff," Skywarp said, frowning. Starscream _had_ started posturing at Thundercracker when he tried to take the Order's place when they were alone. That had started about the same time as the really bad fighting. Starscream never seemed happy when they were alone either. "Right?" Skywarp bit his lower lip and moved his fingers in light circles over the planes of his mate's wings. A relaxing field and a soft sound of welcome at the attention rewarded him for the effort.

"Or lay on his wings. Or allow a merge," Thundercracker added, willingly sinking into the pleasure of his mate's touch. "He's trying to make me act the Vision even here."

"He shouldn't," Skywarp said firmly. "It makes both of you angry and sad." He thought about it for another moment. "And I think it makes him glitchy," he added.

"Not surprised. It's making me glitchy," Thundercracker groaned in frustration at the truth. "Going against such base coding does damage."

"Then we'll just have to make him behave," Skywarp announced.

"Make who behave?" Starscream asked as he stepped inside the room the three spent entirely too much time in, and rattled his wings in warning as soon as Thundercracker looked at him. Thundercracker lifted his wings and growled a warning right back. Their challenge fight had settled nothing.

"No one," Skywarp said, trying to settle his mate by rubbing his wings. "How are your wings?"

"Strong," Starscream gave him a funny look, half in warning. "You did well in the battle," he tried to steer the conversation away from himself for once.

Skywarp's field brightened proudly, and then he warped over to Starscream and brought him back to his mate, forcefully sitting him down and going for the repairs with his fingers. It always felt so nice to him when Starscream let him care for him, he thought it probably felt just as good to Thundercracker. "Do they hurt at all?" he asked, carefully tracing and memorizing each wound.

"They're fine," Starscream twitched them away, but didn't get up. He was keenly aware of Thundercracker's gaze and the tension in the room.

Skywarp reached in once more, and then he felt Thundercracker's hand joining him, and Starscream hissed and jerked his wings up. 

And then Skywarp's engine _snarled_ in a way that Starscream was entirely unfamiliar with and his Action's hands grabbed the top edges of his wings and yanked down, and then pulled back, getting him almost completely on his back in one motion. He squawked and tried to pull away. "Let go!" 

"No," Skywarp said. "You are going to hold still until we're done looking you over."

"We are in private," Thundercracker's deep rumble held less anger than it had recently as he straddled Starscream's hips. "You are trine and you will allow us to tend to you. Pushing us away like that is unacceptable."

"I'm allowed to tell you to get off of me!" Starscream snapped, and then rolled and jerked away, kicking back at Skywarp before managing to get fully free and making a dash for the nearest exit while Thundercracker righted himself with a snarl.

Skywarp growled again and waited until Starscream was almost there before warping after him and catching him, bringing him right back. This time he pushed him down on his wings and moved over him in a pin. " _Stay,_ " he snarled. "I will tie you up if I have to." He knew this would be good for Starscream, and Thundercracker, he just had to make it happen. 

The white and red Seeker stared up at his Action in complete non-comprehension. Skywarp didn't _do_ things like this. "Get off me."

"No," Skywarp said, and stuck his glossa out. "We're gonna check you over and then TC's gonna polish you." 

" _What?!_ " came the indignant screech, and Starscream began to put up another struggle to get free from his Action. 

In response, it took Skywarp less than a klik to teleport around and have Starscream's ankles and wrists tied, and he locked stasis cuffs around the Vision's arms and activated them. Starscream went completely still and Skywarp brought him back over, putting him on his front and straddling the middle of his back. "If you're good, I'll take the cuffs off," he said. 

Murderous red optics looked back at him and Skywarp just shrugged and went about his inspection of the back of his Vision's wings. "You're our trinemate. This is part of the deal. Deal with it or get trussed up every time."

Thundercracker shifted from where he'd been watching to begin his own inspection, his touch less certain than Skywarp's but no less intent. Skywarp's hands stayed on Starscream's wings for a few more kliks before he moved back and settled on the ground, cross-legged with his hands in his lap. He cocked his head and watched silently, meeting Starscream's optics. This was for Thundercracker and his Vision. Starscream let Skywarp touch his wings far more often. After all, an Action did that to both Order and Vision. It was the Vision-specific things that usually made the arrogant Seeker snarl.

He stayed close enough to teek, and Starscream was _not_ relaxing. His field was tense and indignant, and if he could, his wings would be rattling. Thundercracker, however, already felt better and it even showed in his frame. Touching, being dominant, his Vision laid out before him and not fighting back was doing him a lot of good. It would be so much better if Starscream wasn't trussed up and in stasis cuffs, but just having one of them settle would make getting the other to some state of reasonable easier. At least Skywarp hoped so. Somehow they _had_ to make Starscream realize that it was okay to be a Vision here, in their quarters. If they didn't, their trine would be broken up one way or another and he _never_ wanted to go through that again. He knew Thundercracker never did either. But Starscream didn't know how horrific it felt for those code-bonds to break.

Thundercracker's hands were strong, smooth and knowledgeable as he worked over Starscream's frame to catalog and soothe the damage. Wax and polish came out next.

As the first coats of polish were smoothed into Starscream's back, the Vision's teek began to shift. No longer angry, still not relaxed, but gradually losing its edge. Skywarp decided it was time to try disabling the stasis cuffs. "Gonna turn these off," he warned, leaning forward, keeping steady optic contact. "You know I can catch you whatever you do so you'd better stay here." 

Starscream's field flickered. 

Skywarp waited for Thundercracker's nod before unlatching the cuffs and pulling them off Starscream's arms. The wings immediately stretched and flattened with his irritation with them. "I resent this indignation," he hissed.

"You wouldn't suffer it if you held to our agreement," Thundercracker said flatly, though his field didn't show the seething hatred Skywarp knew his mate felt for having that agreement broken. "You are our Vision. Behave as one in private. Submit to me in private. In exchange we support you as an Order in public."

Starscream's wings tensed. "Weak to submit," he muttered, twitching restlessly.

"Not here. Not to us." Thundercracker insisted, his hands never stilling in their careful attention to the sleek wings all three were enamored of. "You are our Vision, Starscream. There is nothing weak to be what you are when it is just us."

Starscream shifted uncertainly, wings slowly relaxing. He turned his head to press his forehelm against the ground, x-venting. "Visions _are_ weak."

"The slag they are," Skywarp snapped at him. "Shifting Wind can take down half the warriors we have and is not shy about it."

"I dare you to say that to her creation either," Thundercracker chuckled. "Slipsteam is all fire and sneaky-smart too. They'll both be on the front line as soon as Tumbler falls."

"And _no one_ is allowed to say my Vision is weak," Skywarp added with a growl. "He's not weak. He proves it every orn."

Starscream turned his head far enough to look at Skywarp with a single optic and his mouth turned up in a wry smile. " _Your_ Vision isn't. Many are. They aren't respected the same way as Orders."

"Of course not. Visions are far more important." Thundercracker scowled down at him, but his field was confused. "It is the Visions that make a flock strong and stable. It is the Visions who ensure the future, who remember, who advance us. Being out front doesn't mean you make the decisions all the time."

"That makes _no_ sense," Starscream growled, but it was quickly quieted by the next stroke from Thundercracker's hands. It was clear that despite his best efforts, being forced to let his Order _care_ for him was calming him. He was still indignant about it, but also resigned.

"What doesn't make sense?" Thundercracker asked patiently, the action of caring for his Vision visibly soothing him to his core. "Didn't your flock's Orders listen when their Vision spoke?"

Starscream scowled. "Sure, if it was about what color to paint the walls or where to put a lounge. Orders get to _leave_ whenever they want, no questions asked." His wings twitched. "Untie me."

"Your flock was ... unusually restrictive. That or the Visions were unusually uninclined to travel," Thundercracker said quietly. "No sane Order wants an unhappy Vision."

"And I don't think I'll untie you until you're a puddle of Seeker with no inclination to move," Skywarp declared.

Starscream glared at him, then huffed and finished resigning himself completely to the humiliation of being tied up and cared for. Skywarp and Thundercracker were happy to let him sulk in silence. 

After a while Skywarp perked up, grinning. "You're purring!" he said in delight, pointing at Starscream, who gave a startled twitch. 

"What?" White wings hiked up. "I am not!" The sound didn't stop.

"Yes, you are," Thundercracker chuckled, his rubbing of polish never stopping. "You're enjoying being doted on."

The turbines gave a half-sparked grumble and Starscream relaxed back down, sighing quietly. "Feels good," he murmured after a few more kliks, as his field smoothed out. The tension finally eased out from his frame. "Why challenge me?" he asked quietly, voice and wings calm.

"You broke our agreement," Thundercracker stilled, his wings low in defeat. "I've had three trine bonds break. My first Vision and two Actions. I wasn't ... I'm not prepared to face it a fourth time. Not willingly."

Starscream was quiet, then nodded. "I won't stop fighting," he said. 

"I know," Thundercracker said. "I've never asked you to." 

Another nod. "I've been ... feeling glitchy," Starscream admitted. "And scared that if I let you do this here, I'll start doing it out there. I _want_ to command."

"We've managed this long, we'll manage the rest," Thundercracker shrugged. "You can't let fear rule your choices or you'll destroy yourself, if you don't destroy me first."

"This _does_ feel better," Starscream begrudgingly admitted. Next to him, Skywarp preened and got a glare that only managed to be about a quarter power.

"Good," Thundercracker leaned forward to kiss Starscream softly. "I don't like fighting you."

"Because I kick your aft," Starscream said with a bit of a smirk for his Order.

"Because it's _wrong_ to fight your trine," Thundercracker corrected without heat. "That you can kick my aft just makes it worse."

Starscream hummed his satisfaction with that and fell silent again as Thundercracker finished polishing him, and then waxed him until every span of him was shining and he was, as Skywarp had predicted, a puddle of Seeker. 

Skywarp was so happy he was having trouble staying in the same place, never mind being still, and he jumped back and forth around them, trilling in trine bliss. 

"That is very distracting, 'Warp," Thundercracker murmured as he pressed a kiss to the back of his Vision's neck. Starscream stirred, wings flicking. 

"Gon' untie me?" he asked. 

"Not yet," Thundercracker said, and carefully turned him over to his back, getting his wings settled flat on the floor. He untied Starscream's ankles and pushed his legs apart, moving in between them. "Open," he said. 

Starscream groaned quietly as his valve cover slid back, looking at his Order with a challenge rippling through his field. Thundercracker simply smiled and drove into his Vision, eager to feel the other's pleasure as he lay on his wings. 

Starscream arched up and his mouth opened in a silent cry. Skywarp came to rest at his head, resting his hands on either side of Starscream's helm as he shifted onto his front and brought his Vision into a kiss. 

"Ours," Skywarp purred. 

Starscream nodded, his hazy optics fixed on Thundercracker. He didn't like laying on his wings. Not for anyone. But at least these two would keep him safe, and he could relax and enjoy. 

They would take care of him. 

Everything he'd been fighting against slowly clicked into place and he saw how futile it would be. He'd do it again, he knew he would, and there would be times when Thundercracker was so stressed he'd need his Vision. They could come back to this place together. 

His hips lifted into the thrusts and he moaned as Thundercracker leaned over him, covering him. As much as Starscream needed this, Thundercracker needed it more. It was still only beginning to sink in just how close the blue Seeker was to snapping in a way that couldn't be repaired so easily.

The next trust and Thundercracker's trembling moan wiped all thought from Starscream's active processor and he keened in pleasure. Everything became a blur after that. The pair worked themselves to exhaustion with their Action standing guard, and the next thing Starscream was really at all aware of was the ties being slipped off his wrists before his trinemates covered him. He didn't protest, but Thundercracker pushed him down anyway with a warning growl that he take his proper place. Starscream didn't fight and he felt his Order settle in a way he hadn't in vorns.

Thundercracker believed him, believed in him, and all he had to do to keep that support was to not fight their coding in private.

Starscream set himself to do just that. It felt too good to have all three of them code-happy and relaxed. It really did feel good.


	13. The Air Commander

Starscream was never more grateful for his powerful, fast processors than when he was in battle. It gave him a huge advantage where his core protocols didn't. At the moment it was chaos even more than usual. The Autobots and their new Prime had drawn away several trines and young single Seekers from both the Decepticon forces and a handful of neutral holdouts that existed. It was their first real showing of air power, and by the looks of things, whoever was directing it was brilliant. 

In another place and time, Starscream would have been more interested in tracking that processor down to get inside it and see what the mech was like. For now, he had to be impressed from a distance while trying to stay alive. That was getting to be hard enough in and of itself. He'd seen at least two trines go down and the retreat still hadn't been called--the target was too strategically important to crippling the Prime's hold on the planet.

Something pale blue and of pure violence sliced by, leaving a double line of blaster marks and holes across Thundercracker's frame in a clear and direct attack on the trine's Vision position, traditionally the weakest combat member. The medium blue Seeker snarled and fired back, but the pale blue one was already gone, targeting in on Tumbler's trine.

Starscream cut away and dove after him, Thundercracker and Skywarp following after. The Autobot twisted and weaved in reckless, illogical patterns that had other fliers scrambling to get away from him and avoid a crash. The insane flying worked and the Autobot got to Tumbler faster than Starscream could, slicing through the trine and separating him from the others. Despite the efforts of every Decepticon Seeker in the area, not even Skywarp's teleportation into the action saved their Air Commander from the sudden transformation of his attacker that allowed hands to tear open armor and extract the still-bright spark chamber from its frame.

Starscream felt like something solid had slammed right into his chest as he watched the Air Commander's frame brutally ripped apart. A shot right into the leaking fuel lines caught fire and then the Autobot peeled away before the frame exploded, falling out of the sky in a brilliant fireball that lit up the battle for a long klik and gave visible strength to the embattled Autobots. 

Starscream's spark throbbed strangely in his chest. He was the Air Commander now. These Seekers were _his_ to protect. 

Tumbler's duty trine chased the insane Autobot and Starscream slammed a broadcast out to the surviving Seekers to shift their focus to the air. The grounders could work on taking out the target, the Seekers needed to work on eliminating the Autobot's air forces. That pale blue one had to go down, and now. It was more than vengeance guiding that need, it was self-preservation. Any enemy that could take down Tumbler that fast had a very good chance at doing the same to Starscream.

Skywarp flew tightly to Starscream and Thundercracker was closer than Starscream wanted, but he didn't order them off. They knew he was the next target. He was flashy, fast and well known to both sides. Soundwave had mentioned it more than once that Starscream was _known_ to the enemy. Now he wasn't just known, but the Air Commander.

He was the pale Seeker's next target. It was a given.

He sent the image file to Soundwave with a request for a designation so he could remember it after he shot him out of the sky. 

::Dogfight.::

Dogfight it was. Appropriate, Starscream decided as he flew right at him. He split up away from the battle, into the clear sky above where he would have more room to maneuver, and Dogfight would have fewer obstacles to force Starscream to avoid. 

His trine followed, and so did Dogfight.

The pale Seeker was unquestionably insane. No one fought a trine solo. Beyond the three to one odds, even duty trines flew and fought more effectively than any three untrined fliers. That was before you took Skywarp and Thundercracker into account. One could teleport. The other created fear with his thunder. Starscream was no minor threat either, being faster and more agile than anything else in the sky.

Skywarp warped, putting himself behind Dogfight, only to find the unpredictable flight pattern was beyond even his intuitive chaos of prediction.

Starscream looped backwards and came back even with his trine, snarled at them to stay back, and rocketed straight for Dogfight. The Autobot didn't move. Starscream moved too late, and their wings glanced each other, sending both of them spinning into the sky. The fight turned brutal as the two came back at each other, shooting and twisting. Dogfight tried to transform and get above him in the same way as he had Tumbler but Starscream was able to twist away and transform, slashing at him with his claws. 

They grabbed hold of each other, hitting and clawing as they plummeted for the ground through the midst of the battle. Starscream _would_ take this traitor down. Wings and chassis torn, a thruster damaged, Starscream didn't resister why they broke apart until the disorientation of teleporting landed him behind friendly lines and Skywarp's terror slammed into him hard enough to briefly reset his priorities.

Dimly, he registered Soundwave's broadcast to retreat. _Retreat?_ Decepticons didn't retreat! But the forces were pulling back, limping away from the defeat, and Starscream shook Skywarp off. "I was in control of that fall! I would have had him!" He leaped into the air and transformed back into alt mode to fly, only to realize just how difficult it was to fly with one thruster at half power and the other at full.

Skywarp was on his wing, under him and ready to support him if he needed it as they joined the surviving fliers in the retreat. Less than half the Seekers were combat-worthy fliers right now, and he knew a third would never return. The wounded were being carried or struggling on their own. The Autobot air force had to go, and fast. 

It would need to wait until they were repaired, though. And before that, Starscream held no illusions that his command would go unchallenged. He wasn't exactly popular. 

He spotted Thundercracker being supported by Tumbler's surviving trinemates. He didn't look flight-capable, and the strange break in the fight with Dogfight suddenly made sense. Thundercracker had pulled the Autobot off and taken the brunt of the pale Seeker's rage while Skywarp had teleported Starscream to safety.

* * *

Skywarp was in a moderately controlled fit with the extent of repairs his trinemates had required. Though they were fully functional and home now, he was still flustered and trying to tend to them both at once. It was something Thundercracker gave him the occasional kiss for, when he could hold still for long enough before teleporting back to Starscream.

Their Vision was staring moodily out the window, sullen and on edge, waiting for the challenges to begin. Anyone could challenge him for his rank at any time, but they seemed to be waiting until he was fully healed. It wasn't improving his mood. He was still angry at his trinemates for pulling him out of the fight. He didn't push Skywarp away, though. Not when his Action needed it so much. That had taken a long time for Starscream to grasp. The touching and tending wasn't for him; it was to soothe the Seeker doing it.

"Skywarp, do you remember the rules of the challenge?" Thundercracker asked quietly.

Skywarp cocked his head, looking up from where he was checking over Starscream's wings, again. "Yeah, why?"

"Because you're going to get challenged," Starscream almost snapped. 

Skywarp's wings hiked up. "What? _Why?_ "

"Your position in the Air Commander's trine is valuable. More valuable than mine in some ways," Thundercracker told him. "You will be challenged for it. Just as Starscream and I will be challenged for ours."

Skywarp's expression turned dark and Starscream even glanced up at the sudden anger in his field. "They can't have it," he snarled. 

"As long as I'm not beaten, no one can take it," Starscream said. "I have the final say. But you still have to fight, and you can't surrender."

"This is stupid," Skywarp growled. "We lose a bunch of kin to the Autobots, and now we kill each other over nothing."

"Commanders must be able to prove their worth," Thundercracker said. "If they don't deserve it, they will lose the challenge." 

Starscream shrugged. "And no one has to die. Only the stupid ones." 

"That's only true when the challenged gives the challenger an option to surrender," Thundercracker corrected him. "Something I see less of as the war continues."

"I'm not gonna kill anyone," Skywarp growled, wings setting determinedly as he warped back over to Thundercracker. "It's _stupid._ "

"You have to fight if you want to stay in my duty trine," Starscream said again. 

"So they're trying to take me away from you," Skywarp snarled. 

"Mm, technically yes," Starscream said, looking at him.

"Technically, they aren't," Thundercracker countered with a thoughtful hum. "They're trying to claim a place in the Air Commander's trine, not Starscream's duty trine. Only while Starscream is Air Commander are they the same thing."

"But _like I said_ , I get the final say, as long as you fight. You forfeit if you refuse or surrender," Starscream said patiently. "Even if you lose, I'm keeping you." 

"But they'd like my place," Skywarp said angrily, and it was clear that their Action was hyper-focused on the thought of another Seeker challenging his place in his Vision's trine. 

"They _can't have it_ ," Starscream said. Skywarp continued to scowl furiously and look over Thundercracker's wings. Starscream rolled his optics, sighed exaggeratedly, and canted his wings in sudden distress. "Oh, these weldings _really_ hurt." 

Skywarp's helm shot up. "What? But I just oiled those!" He teleported back over and pulled out a clean cloth and the bottle the medics had given to help soothe the repairs. He didn't catch the knowing smile of approval that Thundercracker gave their Vision for the effort.

"Will you surrender if you know you've lost a match?" Thundercracker asked after a time.

"I won't lose, so that question is irrelevant," Starscream said, patiently putting up with his Action's repeated check over of his frame. It was at least distracting and calming him.

"I'll take that as a no," Thundercracker sighed, but didn't argue. He knew by now it was pointless. He also knew that undamaged, Starscream was correct. He wouldn't lose. It was the second, third and further challenges if they came that were in question. They would just have to wait and see.

* * *

The challenges started as soon as Starscream was outside the next orn and the fighting quickly turned brutal. The Air Commander worked to put his opponents down quickly and savagely, but they kept coming, and he was slowing down. Even with help from his trine in the precious kliks between fights, the damage was piling up on his frame, and if he wanted the post, he needed to make it stop, and soon. 

The first time he killed an opponent earned him a break of almost five breems--enough to refuel and patch some of the worst wounds--but the next finally came. Thunderwing. 

The flier wasn't even a Seeker, but one of Shockwave's freak creations. Half Seeker, half shuttle, at least in frame. In coding, he was at best a shuttle. There was no need to trine, no signal to mark him as untrined. He didn't even have visible wings. He shouldn't even have been allowed to challenge, but this was war and as Air Commander Starscream ruled more than just his kin. The mech flew, so Starscream had to answer his challenge as well.

"I challenge you!" Thunderwing roared.

Starscream bit back the groan as he stood and faced the larger mech. "What for?"

"The rank of Air Commander." Thunderwing grinned at his weakened opponent. "Where will we fight?"

Starscream considered his opponent as he waved Skywarp back. Big, not as agile as he was. "City limits, below the altitude of the tallest skyscraper." 

Thunderwing nodded and leap into the sky to transform into his interstellar jet mode and swung on Starscream with weapons blazing. Starscream wasn't there anymore, though, and once more his speed saved him. Thunderwing was right on his tail once he spotted him, though by the time he got up into the air the Seeker had darted around behind a skyscraper and lost him again. The chase began in earnest, with shots fired in the few moments they had a clear line of sight. Starscream knew from countless battles that this was what Thunderwing was weakest at. He had power and endurance to spare, befitting a shuttle-former, but even in jet form he was focused on endurance and power rather than agility and speed.

It gave Starscream a huge advantage on this battlefield and he used it shamelessly. The Seekers had stopped challenging him. They wouldn't again for a long time. A battle would have to go spectacularly wrong for them to doubt him again.

All that was left to secure his reign was to put the other fliers in their place.

As he zoomed past the central towers, he saw Megatron and Soundwave standing on a balcony, watching the fight, and he suddenly knew _exactly_ how he wanted to take this mech down. 

Unfortunately, that single moment of distraction was enough time for Thunderwing to catch up with him and Starscream didn't bank fast enough to avoid the shot that tore clean through one of his tail fins. It hurt. It hurt his performance. It still wasn't enough to ground him. Not in front of Megatron.

With a nearly vertical High Yo-Yo Starscream got behind Thunderwing and unleashed his cannons at full power. He could not allow this to become a battle of endurance.

Thunderwing dodged, but now that Starscream was firmly in the offensive position it was just a matter of chasing him down and forcing him back to the center of the city. Starscream knew where he wanted to put this flier down. 

The shot that finally hit the triple changer couldn't have been more perfectly located and it forced Thunderwing to correct to the side. Starscream pushed himself to full speed and slammed into him, and crashed both of them down onto the rooftop right across from Megatron. By the time Thunderwing's first punch landed, most of the fliers that had followed the battle from the air had landed nearby in a loose ring. His trine was in the front rank.

Starscream could pay attention to none of them. He had to focus on the flier in front of him, who was trying to tear his cockpit off. Thunderwing was trying to kill him.

Starscream snarled and twisted, slamming a leg up and firing his thruster right into Thunderwing's chest. The mech screamed and pulled back, and Starscream turned the offensive on him again, seeking out the cockpit with his claws himself. He wasn't going to try to tear it off, but he hoped that the pain from that would be enough for him to incapacitate Thunderwing the rest of the way. His claws broke through the outer layers of glass, tore straight down. He went again, slammed a punch into Thunderwing's helm. He got his own in return and felt the other flier scrambling to subdue him as it turned into a race, but in the end, Starscream was the one on top. He grabbed Thunderwing's helm in his hands in a move he'd seen the Gladiators make over and over before they claimed their victory. "Open," he hissed. 

Confusion broke over Thunderwing's field at he stared at Starscream. He'd stopped fighting, but he didn't comprehend the order.

"Open your mouth," Starscream growled. "Or die. Your choice."

Bewildered but unprepared to die in this fight after he'd submitted in trust that the Seeker wouldn't kill an unresisting opponent, the larger mech complied. With the challenge over, Starscream became aware of murmurs and shifting around him as some realized his intent.

Seekers didn't do this. They submitted and were freed. 

But Decepticons... 

Starscream's denta bared in a savage grin. 

_Decepticons_ made sure that the fool stupid enough to challenge would remember it, forever. He forced his spike to extend and pressed his hips forward, shuddering as he sank into the intake.

Thunderwing choked, more in surprise than anything else. It sent ripples of pleasure through Starscream's spike. The real reactions were in the audience, however. Including one utterly horrified gasp that Starscream couldn't completely ignore.

Thundercracker.

It wasn't a surprise, the blue Seeker was as tradition and honor bound as anyone still alive, but it still stung a bit to have his trinemate so openly reject the action.

His optics lifted up and he saw Megatron standing there and met the gladiator's gaze directly. The warlord's mouth had turned up in a pleased smirk, and Starscream answered it. 

He _was_ the Air Commander of the Decepticon army.

* * *

When the dust settled and the injuries were repaired and Starscream stood as the final victor over his brutal challenges, he stood at Megatron's side as the warlord proclaimed his strength in battle and their new-found determination. Yes, they had suffered a loss, and the Seekers had suffered a slaughter. They were injured, their enemy was strong. But they would recover and press onward and upward with new vigor. They would fight for those fallen. 

At the end, he turned to Starscream. "Name your trine." 

Starscream looked right at the two Seekers who had no doubt of their place at his side. "Thundercracker and Skywarp." 

Megatron inclined his helm in acknowledgement, but it was only moments before the first engine roared and a flashy red Seeker flew to Skywarp and landed in front of him. "I challenge for your place in the Command Trine."

The way Skywarp's wings lifted left no doubt that for him, it was not rank he was fighting for. He was _Starscream's_ Action. His fate was bound to his trine leader be it up or down.

"Then _fly_ ," he snarled at his challenger as Thundercracker stepped back, then moved to Starscream's side as Nova leap upwards and transformed.

Skywarp waited and watched, and then jumped into the air right above the other Seeker and slammed his fists into the cockpit. Nova shrieked and spun away and led Skywarp into the sky. The black Seeker stayed right on him, firing rapidly as Nova tried to peel away and take the offense, but every time he tried, Skywarp teleported to the better position. 

"Hey, slaghead!" the Action shouted, and then teleported right in front of Nova and fired right into his nosecone. 

The damage and smoke left the red Seeker sensor blind and spiraling towards the ground. Reflex made Nova transform to try and control his landing.

He was almost down when Skywarp teleported directly beneath him, caught him, and threw him back up into the sky before firing again and hitting the Seeker's wings. Nova started desperately trying to just escape, but everyone watching knew there wasn't going to be one. Not unless Skywarp gave it to him. 

"He's ... _playing_ with him," Starscream said as Skywarp tossed his opponent again.

"He's making a statement," Thundercracker responded. "Just as you did."

Starscream nodded, both impressed and a little disturbed by what they were watching in the sky. 

Skywarp was tearing his opponent apart, piece by piece, with both his hands and his weapons. Nova wasn't going to survive this battle. _No one_ was going to try to take away Skywarp's place in the Command Trine. 

And Skywarp was, very obviously, enjoying himself.

Just that was enough to warn off the others and shift their focus to Thundercracker. His might not be the most desirable post, but he was still in the Command Trine and he was well known to fight honorably. He was already counting them, preparing to counter them, making note of who he could finish with quickly and who it might be better to take a few blows from and surrender gracefully to. He knew the first time Starscream refused to replace him despite losing the challenges would end.

A glance upward and Skywarp was still playing with his kill, cackling as he did. Most of the observers looked shocked by the behavior from a flier they had only witnessed as the docile trinemate that he could be. Dedicated, caring and loyal. Protective more than aggressive, even in battle.

This Skywarp was no surprise to his trinemates, especially Thundercracker. But to the rest, who'd never seen him acting outside of Thundercracker's control, it was a startling revelation. 

Megatron was definitely pleased with what he was seeing, there was no question of that, so no one voiced objection to what was quickly becoming cruelty. Skywarp had seen a threat to his place in this trine, and he was out to destroy. With one fight he'd made an impression that no one would soon forget.

Eventually, finally, Nova's systems failed from massive damage rather than a decisive blow and Skywarp's wings almost drooped in disappointment at the end of his game. He look down and around at the gathering watching him with varying levels of horror and respect. "Anyone else want to play?"

When the gathering, all but his trine, dipped gazes and wings in response he huffed at the end of his challenges but perked his wings up in pleasure at his victory. With an easy warp down he pulled what was left of Nova's chest compartment open and retrieved his spark chamber. With a skipping step he presented it as an almost courting gift to Starscream.

Starscream's mouth curled up and he pulled Skywarp against him and into a slow, visibly possessive kiss. Skywarp purred into it, proud in his Vision's strength and basking in the praise. Finally they parted and stood side by side next to Megatron.

With that settled, Thundercracker stepped forward and lifted his wings as he took in the gathering. "Well, who's first?"

Skywarp's helm whipped around with an outraged, protective snarl and over-bright optics. "No one that wants to live."

"Skywarp. Stand down," Thundercracker said calmly. The black Seeker's wings trembled in resistance but he complied, demonstrating once more just how loyal he was to his mate.

"Well _you_ can't teleport," Acid Storm said as he stepped forward, looking him up and down. "I challenge you."

"For what?" Thundercracker asked calmly, relaxed in his acceptance.

"Your place in the Command Trine," Acid Storm responded, earning a flick of understanding from Thundercracker and a hiss of warning from Skywarp. He paused, regarding Thundercracker for a moment. "Military rules?"

"Agreed," Thundercracker said before launching into the air and transforming.

Acid Storm followed, chasing after. Their fight quickly became one of strategy and thinking instead of sheer, brute strength, a display of their technique both in the air and on the ground. Acid Storm wasn't going to make the win easy and Thundercracker didn't want him to.

Starscream seriously doubted that Acid Storm even _wanted_ to fly in the Vision's position of his trine given he was the Order of his own, but pushing Thundercracker to his limits and forcing him to prove himself was something he could easily see the other Order planning. 

The Seekers wanted to be able to respect their Command Trine. Not that true challenges wouldn't come, but this one, Starscream suspected, was not that.

::What does military rules mean?:: Skywarp asked Starscream as it became clear that they weren't even firing at each other. ::They don't look like they're even fighting.::

::It's a display of skill. I doubt they'll damage each other,:: Starscream told him, though he wasn't completely clear on it. ::Thundercracker's weapons are barely at a quarter power. It'll scorch paint and not much else.::

Soundwave suddenly spoke up right behind them, startling both Seekers. "Additional caveats include: fighters must remain within district, deactivating forbidden, victory must be within sight range of challenge." 

Starscream whirled, glaring at him. "Stay out of our comms!" 

"Starscream and Skywarp: did not attempt to shield comms," Soundwave explained. "'Staying out': impossible." 

"Freaky telepath," Starscream muttered, looking back up at the sky.

Skywarp, however, giggled. "Telepath and comms aren't the same thing. He can't stay out because he's a comms mech."

"Doesn't make him _not_ a freaky telepath," Starscream said, playfully tweaking Skywarp's wingtip. Acid Storm and Thundercracker hurtled by overhead, but now with the assurance that his Order wouldn't be deactivated, Starscream was content to pay as much attention to his Action as the fight. 

Skywarp, on the other hand, was completely enthralled by watching his mate fly. It was with far more skill than Thundercracker usually bothered with, and it was a radically different kind of fight than Starscream or Skywarp put on. The pair was dancing in the sky, showing off for the audience more than each other. Thundercracker had to both lead and herd Acid Storm to keep him inside visual range, and the green Seeker was making him work for it.

The hit on Acid Storm's engine that forced him to land almost exactly where he'd taken off from was an act of unimaginably complex timing as much as it was aim. At the speeds they were going even a nanoklik of fraction of a degree in heading difference and Acid Storm would have set down outside the endpoint range.

Skywarp trilled proudly as his mate landed, blaster lifting to Acid Storm's helm. "Do you yield?"

"I yield," Acid Storm said.

Thundercracker nodded his satisfaction and turned back to the crowd, waiting for the next challenge. It came in just moments and he was pushed back into the sky in a very different kind of battle, one from a competitor who genuinely wanted to take him down. His victory the second time left him wounded, but still standing, and then the Order who had flown in the Vision position of Tumbler's trine stepped forward. 

Sirocco was small framed, even for a Seeker, not very powerful, but his size gave him agility and he was one of the best sharpshooters the Decepticons had. "I challenge you."

"For what?" Thundercracker asked for a third time.

"For the place of Vision in our Air Commander's duty trine," Sirocco said. "Where?"

Thundercracker sighed as his hopes for another military rules challenge dissipated. "Within Kaon's airspace." With that he leaped up and transformed, darting between two towers before Sirocco could get a target lock on him.

It left him blind to the other Order's position, though, and when he couldn't see or even hear any kind of pursuit, he darted over to the next closest skyscraper, hoping to catch a glimpse of him. 

The first shot slammed through one of his vents, the second glanced off his wing. It signaled the end of _thinking_ for Thundercracker. His engines roared to life and full power as he whirled on his opponent. Oblivious to the damage he was causing in the city around him he shot straight up into the sunlight before warbling in flight to shake off the target lock he felt searching for him.

Then he was in a powered freefall rushing for Sirocco, intent on using his heavier armor and the terror of his thunder to best effect. Sirocco darted out of the way quickly--he seemed to know what was coming--but it wasn't fast enough to escape the entire sonic wave. It struck him and sent him spinning for the ground, but even mid-spin, he transformed and twisted around, firing off a pair of shots that went through Thundercracker's wing.

Thundercracker was slower to fire, but his shots hit squarely on the same wing, sending Sirocco twisting that way and throwing off his flawless aim so only one of the next two shots hit, and the one that hit only barely grazed Thundercracker's nosecone. The small Seeker just barely darted out of the next blast sent his way as Thundercracker got on his tail and kept firing.

Sirocco led him weaving and darting through the industrial district, close to the ground. Thundercracker had a hard time keeping up through the closer spaces, and very suddenly, lost all trace of the small flier. He immediately pulled up and out of the enclosing space, but just as he had almost cleared the highest building, weight slammed into him and a blaster was slammed right through his cockpit. 

"Fly back to the others," Sirocco said, and made sure to power up the weapon.

Thundercracker answered with submission in his wings and field as he shifted to account for the shift in his center of mass and complied. "Are you planning to execute me?" he asked calmly.

"Will it change your next actions if I am?" Sirocco asked.

"No, it'll change Skywarp's," Thundercracker shrugged at him.

A flicker of amusement went through Sirocco's field. "As long it wouldn't change yours, no. If you fly for the Air Commander, you have face death as calmly as life."

"Then you'll live to die in battle," Thundercracker chuckled, still calm, as he came into clear view of the assembly. ::'Warp. Stay with Starscream,:: he ordered on an open transmission.

The reply was tense black wings all but vibrating in warning to Sirocco while Thundercracker landed on his pedes. As the blaster shifted out of his chest enough he slowly sank to one knee, his wings lowered in surrender but his optics still locked on Sirocco.

"Say it," the small Order said, nudging the blaster against Thundercracker's helm. 

"I yield," Thundercracker answered calmly. 

Sirocco waited another beat, then lowered and disarmed the weapon before turning to Starscream. "Name your duty trine." 

Starscream tilted his head and flicked his wings. "Skywarp and Thundercracker," he said, watching Thundercracker stand up and steady despite the obvious damage and the amount of pain everyone knew he was in. Skywarp was with his mate in the next instant and warped him over to a medic before even Thundercracker registered what he was doing.

Sirocco cycled his optics and stared at Starscream for a moment longer. "I defeated him."

"I trust no others on my wing," Starscream said simply. "You are an invaluable flier, just not for me."

Sirocco canted his wings in acceptance and the mood among those considering challenging Thundercracker shifted rapidly. He'd proven himself a fine flier, a skilled warrior and calm in the face of deactivation. If there was no victory that would change the Command Trine's makeup, fighting him was far less worth the effort.

When it became clear that there would be no more challenges, Starscream turned to Megatron and bowed his helm. "I submit the Command Trine and all those who would follow us to your service," he said.

"You and your Seekers do the cause proud, Air Commander Starscream." Megatron accepted it with a firm hand on Starscream's shoulder. Not that long ago it would have been an unthinkable insult. Now they had all adapted enough gladiator culture into their own to recognize it as it was meant: a statement of acceptance, allegiance and support in return for the loyalty offered.

Starscream covered it with his own before turning to his trinemates and lifting his wings for them, with a small, knowing smile. This was the Command Trine and it would not be challenged again.

* * *

"Oh, well if _you're_ such a good strategist maybe we should just put you in charge, too!" 

Skywarp sighed and rolled his optics, lounging in the middle of the room as his trinemates bickered. It was really hard to recharge when they were doing that.

"It would be more appropriate," Thundercracker snapped back. While he was serious the set of his wings didn't speak of any intent to try. "You're still a Vision at the beginning and end of the orn."

"You are such an old fashioned stick-in-the-mud," Starscream groaned, rubbing his helm. "It's time to move into the modern era, Thundercracker. We have this fancy thing called _civilization_ now."

" _Civilization_ is where I'm from. It's what you rejected. We live by gladiator rules now," Thundercracker snapped at him. "That's no civilization."

"Sorry, did I say old fashioned stick-in-the-mud?" Starscream shot at him. "I meant old fashioned, _boring_ stick-in-the-mud. Just because it isn't noble Vosian civilization doesn't mean it isn't civilized." He cocked his head and his optics unfocused with a smirk. "It's a rather exciting kind of civilization, really."

"Yes, I expect it is for your kind," Thundercracker didn't hide his disgust. "Bowing to grounders. Exalting a traitor and gladiator. Lusting after him even," he sneered. "Yes, you're a perfect example of the new Seeker society I'm happy to be left out of."

Starscream snarled at his Order, wings flicking with annoyance. "If you're so in love with Seeker snobbery why do you go _bond_ with it?"

"If you hate it so much, find yourself another Order to lie for you," Thundercracker snarled back, his wings lifting in genuine anger.

"Oh yeah?" Starscream started, getting right into Thundercracker's face. "Maybe I--"

Skywarp decided at that point that enough was enough and he teleported in, wrapped his hand around Starscream's mouth, and then jumped him over to the far corner of the room. He then took Thundercracker to the opposite one, and then stood in the middle of them. "You! Stay there," he said, first pointing at Starscream, and then Thundercracker. "And you! Right there. You are going to stop fighting with each other, right now!"

Thundercracker's anger deflated right along with his wings. It wasn't that he was no longer angry, even hoping that Starscream would denounce their trine, but he couldn't upset his mate so much. Skywarp was his reason for continuing on despite being without doubt that the future held nothing in it for him because he wanted his society back and it would never be allowed to happen.

Starscream just glared. 

Skywarp waited until he was certain that neither was going to talk, looking between them, then nodded. "Good. Now here are the rules. You only get to fight once per orn, and if I decide you're being stupid jerks, I'll separate you. If I decide you're fighting for too long, I'll separate you. If I decide you're fighting about something stupid, I'll separate you." He turned his glare on each of them in turn. "Got it?"

"Understood, Action," Thundercracker's tone was somewhere between amused and resigned. He was the Order, yet he was the least of the trine, and somehow he was okay with it. He didn't want to look at that contradiction too closely. It would be the end of him, he knew.

"Twice a day," Starscream said. 

"Once a day," Skywarp snarled, rounding on him so fast and teleporting forward as he did that Starscream jumped back with an undignified yelp. 

"Fine, fine! Once a day!" the Vision said. 

Skywarp snorted. "Good," he said, and then brought them both back into the center of the room. "Also you will snuggle me every time you argue." 

" _Every_ time, 'Warp?" Starscream groaned. "Seriously?"

"Seriously," Skywarp said. "Which means you have to snuggle me right now."

Thundercracker relaxed against his Action, his mate, his reason to continue an already pointless war. "Don't need a reason to snuggle you, you know."

"Yes but I like to have an excuse to make you anyway," Skywarp said before they both looked at Starscream. 

Starscream looked back before throwing his arms in the air. "Ugh! Fine." He stepped forward and was tugged against them as Skywarp sat down, purring contentedly between them.

Starscream gradually relaxed into the pile until his wings and field were settled, and he gave a resigned huff. "Guess this isn't so bad," he finally conceded. "Better than arguing." 

"Mhmm," Skywarp hummed. "Some orn we can just do this." 

" _Just_ this?" Thundercracker asked, teasing gently. 

"Yes," Skywarp said. "Just this." 

"Well all right," Thundercracker said, shrugging. "Hard to have sparklings like this though." 

"Sparklings?" Skywarp's wings perked up. 

"Yes, sparklings," Thundercracker with an evil grin towards Starscream, who was glaring at him. "Don't you think he'll just look so lovely when he's so gravid he can't even fly?"

" _Oh_ ," Skywarp said, and all of his focus shifted to Starscream, one hand going to his abdomen. "Yes, you'll look _amazing._ " 

"I always look amazing," Starscream muttered indignantly. 

Skywarp trilled, ignoring him as he snuggled up, Thundercracker against his back. "That will be good," he decided, and hummed. "Once the war is over." 

"If we all live," Starscream pointed out. 

"We will," Skywarp said, and sighed happily. "I'll make sure of it."

**Author's Note:**

> nanoklik = 1/8 second;  
> klik = 496 nanokliks/62 seconds;  
> breem = 8 kliks/8.27 minutes;  
> groon = 9 breem/1.24 hours;  
> joor = 6 groon/7.44 hours;  
> orn = 42 joor/13.02 days;  
> decaorn = 32 orns/1.14 years;  
> metacycle = 8 decaorn/9.22 years;  
> vorn = 9 metacycles/72 decaorn/83 years; 
> 
> TC's creator trine: Aleno (Order), Target (Action, military, Rico's mate, clutchmate of Airstrike), Reve (Vision, architect. Designs buildings for aesthetics)  
> Target's mate's trine: Rico (Order, Air Martial, Target's mate), Swingshift (Action), Skydart (Vision, performer)  
> Other: Jericho (Order, mated to Skydart and Swingshift), Valhalla (Action, femme) and Kyrie (Vision, femme)  
> Other: Skynote (Order), Airstrike (Action, clutchmate of Target), and Leland (Vision)  
> TC's siblings: Line Dancer (Vision, femme), Recon (Action), 
> 
> TC's first trine: Farcry (Vision), Sound Barrier (Action), Brace (1st creation)


End file.
